Edmonton Oilers acquire Mattias Ekholm from Nashville Predators

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
Edmonton Oilers acquire Mattias Ekholm from Nashville Predators
Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers made a big splash on Tuesday, sending defenseman Tyson Barrie, prospect Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-rounder to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

Ekholm was one of the top defensemen on the trade market, with the 32-year-old holding a $6.25 million AAV until 2025-26. The Predators will retain four percent of Ekholm’s remaining cap hit, or $250,000, according to Pierre Lebrun. He has five goals and 18 points this season while serving as Nashville’s alternate captain.

Ekholm really started to come into his own in Nashville in 2015-16. There, he saw his offensive output nearly double from 18 points to 35 points while taking on more responsibility. Ever since, he’s been good for around 30 points a year while playing over 22 minutes a night most years.

The 6-foot-4, 216-pound defender has shown signs of declining this season, with both his offensive output and average ice time taking a hit. Still, he’s a strong fit for the Oilers, who needed some high-value defensive depth for the post-season.

The move should help the Oilers in the playoff standings, with the club sitting third in the Pacific Division playoff race. He’ll join a blueline that has Darnell Nurse, Cody Ceci and Evan Bouchard, among others.

Barrie, 31, is having one of the best offensive seasons of his career. He’s currently at 10 goals and 43 points, putting him on a 57-point trajectory. He had a career-high 59 points with the Colorado Avalanche in 2018-19 before getting traded to Toronto ahead of 2019-20. Barrie spent one year there before joining the Oilers in 2019-20.

Schaefer, a 6-foot-3, 214-pound forward, has 47 points in 44 games with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. He also helped Canada win gold at the World Junior Championship in a support role, too. Schaefer is known for his goal-scoring and his ability to physically dominate plays, so Predators fans will come to like him.

The Predators also acquired Austin Rueschhoff from the New York Rangers for future considerations. Rueschhoff is a 6-foot-7 forward with 11 points in 31 AHL games this season. The 25-year-old has an AAV of $750,000 for the rest of the year but will likely remain in the AHL moving forward.

Keep scrolling for more content!