5:37 pm: The Oilers have made the trade official, also acquiring a 2024 sixth-round pick along with Ekholm.
4:28 pm: The Edmonton Oilers have made their deadline splash, set to acquire veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a sixth-round pick from the Nashville Predators, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. A few moments later, Friedman reported on the return, announcing that the Predators will acquire Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick in 2023, and a fourth-round pick in 2024. Later on, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports that the Predators will also retain 4% ($250K) of Ekholm’s remaining contract.
Frequently the focus of trade rumors for the last several seasons, Ekholm will try to become the missing piece of the Oilers’ defense. After spending the last 12 years as a main piece on the Predators, Ekholm will look to transfer his two-way play to the Oilers’ back end. Since the 2015-16 season, Ekholm has always averaged over 20 minutes a game, spending time on both the power-play and penalty kill. He has the ability to block shots and create a lot of them himself, he should be the significant defense piece the Oilers have been searching for all season long.
In a surprise to many, Barrie is one of the main pieces headed back to Nashville. Benefiting by being on the same powerplay as Connor McDavid, Barrie’s playmaking abilities on the backend had a resurgence after his one year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After signing a 1-year contract with the Oilers before the 2020-21 season, his play impressed enough to earn him a 3-year, $13.5MM contract extension. In the second year of that deal, Barrie will look to transfer his passing ability to a new-look team in Nashville. Although Barrie is most known for his offensive abilities, his possession numbers are quite good as well, earning a CF% of 54.9 throughout his career.
A now-former first-round selection of Edmonton in the 2022 NHL Draft, Schaefer will become a nice prospect the Predators will add to their system. After scoring 58 points in 66 games for the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Oilers used the 32nd overall pick to select him. Continuing to grow in the Western Hockey League, Schaefer has scored 47 points in 44 games so far this season. As the Predators have also acquired Edmonton’s first-round pick in the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft, they are guaranteed two young first-round talents if they hold on to the pick. As current GM David Poile transitions the reigns over to Predators legend Barry Trotz, Poile has left now left Trotz with 11 picks in the first three rounds of the next two NHL drafts.
In a corresponding move, the Predators announced that forward Mark Jankowski has been recalled to replace Ekholm on the active roster.
Cue Mark Spector writing an article about how the Oilers are now Stanley Cup favourites.
Karlsson trade dead? LOL
It was dead 2 weeks ago.
Tyson Barrie and the Oilers 1st in this draft. That’s alot for Ekholm.
And last years 1st too. Woah. How much of an improvement is this over Barrie would be my perspective. 2 x 1sts better? Could be cap implications I guess.
If this deal and the Jeannot deal are Trotz moves, I’m liking this so far.
Barrie is just salary filler. This is an alternative around the asking price of 2 1sts: one upcoming, one recent.
2 firsts. They also traded a prospect drafted in the first round.
I’ll tell you . Bouchard essentially replaces Barrie . Barrie cannot defend , you will see that soon enough. And many pundits are concerned that Reid Schaffer isn’t all that. He didn’t have much of an improvement in his draft plus one year . And see his Team Canada stats at the World juniors. Note his ice time . Way under 10 minutes . When he played. And if the Oilers go far that other draft pick will be in the what 24-32 range ? All the sure things are off the board by then. That clear it up ?
They gave up a lot. Go oilers. I hope the oilers win it all.
The only Canadian team with a shot who also has sound goaltending are the jets.
Oilers are always exciting to watch.
Nashville only retain 4% of salery, thats a joke, very expensive trade in my eyes
Check your eyes. And read my above comment
Holland needs to be fired if the Oilers dont go deep in the playoffs!! He never wins a trade…
He gave up a lot here but look at the lightning trade for jannot. In both cases they gave up a lot in the future for right now.
As much as I love watching the two studs in the playoffs it’s hard to imagine the oilers going anywhere with the current goaltenders.
Oilers went to the Conference finals last year. Is that not a deep run?
You haven’t seen Stuart Skinner much then. Campbell doesn’t even play anymore
* * * * !
Let me get this straight. Unloading Barrie for Ekholm, and paying a first rounder into the bargain, that’s an IMPROVEMENT?
Hah, Brian guessed right again: Edmonton is going to be the team that loses Deadline Week.
2 first rounders when you include last year’s pick.
And also Schaefer, 1 Round pick from last years draft
Holy man you guys have ALOT to learn about hockey. Ya Barrie ….not good. Schaffer, good chance he doesn’t deliver. And another low first rounder. For a so far excellent dmen
correct. You can say it as many times as u want but it doesn’t change the fact the deal was light years from a fleecing . Ekholm.so far, has been EXACTLY what the Oilers needed. Barrie puts up points on the PP BECAUSE OF 97, and 29. He is horrific as a defender. And I know some real smart guys that think Reid Schaffer will b a bottom of the roster filler . He barely played for Team Canada at the juniors. Usually says alot . So u get another first rounder likely 25-32. Not likely to be a superstar by any means . OIlers were in the semis last year. This year they have a very legit shot at a championship. Something David Poile knows nothing about
I’m a lifetime Habs fan but would love to see the Oilers won it all this year. Ekholm was an excellent addition but the goaltending frightens me. Time will tell.
Holland = stroke?, no, maybe its to hard to say that, yet anyway
Ekholm is a great pickup but that’s a lot to pay
It really isn’t. C above
Edmonton clearly felt Barrie’s production on the PP could be filled by Bouchard and what Ekholm brings is not available in their system. Is the price large, sure. But prices are huge at this time of year. It also free’s up a little more space so they can attempt an upgrade for a depth winger as it’s speculated they are exploring. It was clear they needed help on the defensive side of the game, and this deal provides it. Now to find a Yamo taker and find a depth winger or 2. Wonder who spec chases out of town next? My guess is Campbell.
I’m sad to see Barrie go especially on the power play. The intangibles they see in Ekholm is his two-way play on top of a punishing enforcer in front of the net making it easier for Skinner to see shots.
Nashville will have a dynamic threat in Barrie surely a player to build a team around. All the best to him in Nashville
Just my point of view
Prediction : Nashville will not like Barrie by the end of the year. And won’t see Schaffer for at least 2 more years. And I’d b shocked if he’s anything more than a bottom six fwd. Edmonton on the other hand has a warm body filling a MAJOR need who has made an impact in every game . I think Anericans sometimes think a dman has to score a lot of points or has little value . Some of you anyways. Wrong .