All eyes are on Connor McDavid these days. In Edmonton his contract extension is the big story. In the background, however, defender Mattias Ekholm awaits, who starts in the last year of his contract and is looking for the Edmonton Oilers.
Insight into that the McDavid deal must first be done, Ekholm is great to wait. Nevertheless, both parties are confronted with a critical question: what is the ideal term for a possible expansion?
The veteran defender, who will be in the following May 36, has proven that he has been a large part of the team’s success since he came in an exchange of the Nashville Predators. He has been indispensable since arrival, immediately in the play -offs. The oilers missed his steady game when he was late for injury last season and despite the return, it was clear that he was not 100 percent. That was a big loss for the oilers against the Florida Panthers in the final.
Keeping Ekholm around is something the oilers would like to do. He is not only useful on ice, but his mentoring of young blueliners such as Evan Bouchard is an integral part of what he brings the organization.
That said, the days are coming where he will start taking a little less on the ice role. He will not be a cornerstone of the grid as he once was. That can make negotiations more complicated.
What is the value of Ekholm for the oilers that are making progress?
The performance of Ekholm fell at the end of last season, but as said, many of them was due to a torn adductor. Expect to be healthy to start the 2025-26 season, future health problems and injuries can play a role in his career more. The natural decline that is delivered to a player in his mid -thirty should be something, both the oilers and the player are good.
“I am getting older, but I know what I am bringing,” he said when Captain’s Skates started this week. “This season will be important for me and for the team.”
Do the oilers have to offer what he could get on the open market? That is perhaps more than Edmonton is willing to pay in view of the commitments to Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, Bouchard and eventually Connor McDavid. At the same time, it is necessary that the oilers remain competitive, as demonstrated by the delay of McDavid to sign a long -term agreement. How could the captain feel if Ekholm was allowed to walk?
Would everyone work for everyone?
The most practical solution can be an expansion of two years with a manageable AAV, giving Ekholm the chance to earn some money before you retire. It holds a solid top four defender in Edmonton A before the great decline comes.
If he plays well and goes year after year to end his NHL -Run, Ekholm has the luxury to negotiate again as the salary limit increases. That is good news for him, even if there is a small risk that an injury or a sharper decline will become a problem.
Next: Report: putting NHLPA under pressure McDavid during contract discussions with Oilers
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