BLOG: Ekholm rejoins Oilers teammates for first full-team practice since injury

EDMONTON, AB – “Ekky looks good,” said forward Corey Perry.

The veteran Oilers forward was overheard on the ice during Monday’s practice at Rogers Place pumping up the play of Mattias Ekholm, emphasizing the ‘good’ in his own voice while observing along with everyone else in attendance what looked like a capable and game-ready defenceman coming off an injury.

Perry said aloud what every player and coach on the ice, and every media member in the bowl watching practice, was thinking after seeing the Swedish defenceman go through his first full-team skate with relative ease ahead of Edmonton's start to the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars:

Ekholm is looking really close to being ready.

“It'd be massive,” said Leon Draisaitl about the potential return of Ekholm. “He's been arguably our best defenceman for the last two, maybe three years now, and getting a guy like that back into the lineup – it's hard to describe how much he can do.

“He’s obviously got to be healthy and well enough to play, but if we ever get to that point in this series, that's a huge bonus for us.”

Ekholm took a massive step towards returning to the Oilers lineup at some point in the Western Conference Final on Monday afternoon by completing his first full practice, and the 34-year-old blueliner looked like he hadn't lost a step since missing the last 14 games (11 playoff contests) with a lower-body injury.

"I watched him yesterday and I watched him today, I think it's going well," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "I think his mobility is pretty good considering how much time he's had off and the type of injury that he had, so I think we're off to a good start."

The defenceman missed seven games with an injury late in the regular season and registered only 1:52 of ice time in his brief return to action against the San Jose Sharks on Apr. 11 before going back on the shelf for Edmonton's three remaining contests and all 11 playoff games so far in the 2025 playoffs.

During Monday's skate, Ekholm looked sharp with the puck on his stick and up to speed skating with his teammates in his first full practice since being sidelined with his injury. He even led the Oilers through their stretches at centre ice, signalling that his return to the lineup is getting close to happening.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to answer and not answer here," Ekholm said. "I feel good. I didn't think I would be in this position this quickly, so I'm really happy about that. Our trainers have done a tremendous job with me. Healing has gone better than I thought, but I'm still just trying to take it day by day. Today was the first time [these playoffs] I was on the ice for a full practice. I thought that it went pretty well.

"Now it's a matter of how I feel tomorrow, so I can't rule anything out or rule anything in. I'm trying to go on a day-to-day basis, and I'm just happy that I've come this far along."

Coach Knoblauch updated the Swede's status to "day-to-day" following Sunday's skate, but wouldn't reveal on Monday if he'll be healthy enough to join the team on the road for Games 1 & 2 of the WCF against the Stars, which begins Wednesday night in Dallas at American Airlines Centre.

Despite there not being a definitive return date for Ekholm, after it looked like his season might be over at the time of his initial diagnosis, the defenceman and his teammates are extremely excited that he's likely to be able to contribute to another Oilers playoff run starting at some point in this series.

"That was the [original belief]," Ekholm said of potentially missing the remainder of the season plus playoffs. "Obviously, it was a tough diagnosis to get at the time, but I'm 35 soon and still healing, so I guess that's a good thing and I'm happy to be here now and couldn't have stood here today without the trainers, and everyone that's helped me along the way. I'm super happy and super grateful for that."

"Injuries happen in this sport, and it wasn't anything that I saw coming or anything like that, so it was a tough situation that happened. It was a heartbreaker to start, but after that first day and first night of disappointment, it was just a matter of doing whatever I could to come back and be at least available for a little bit.

"I know we have a good team. I know they were going to do their part, so it's up to me to do my part and try to get back as soon as I can."

With plenty of experience and time to get back up to full speed in the playoffs, Ekholm is prepared to hit the ground running whenever he's called upon.

The Swede finished the 2024-25 regular season with nine goals and 24 assists in 65 games after recording five goals and five assists during Edmonton's run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, going plus-nine over 21:58 of average ice time in all 25 postseason contests last year.

"I've played over 100 playoff games and played deep in the playoffs before, so I at least have an idea," he said. "I have some experience that I can lean on in that regard, but I'd like to think that I will be 100 percent when I get in there.

"There's going to be some butterflies if I do come back at some point, and that's just part of it, and then take it every stride and every shift; just don't try to look too far ahead and look at the big task. I know I can contribute when I'm healthy, and that's the goal here. We'll see how it goes."