DALLAS, TX – The Viking is back and ready to conquer.
Defenceman Mattias Ekholm will return to the lineup and make his 2025 playoff debut on Thursday night when the Edmonton Oilers attempt to eliminate the Dallas Stars from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at American Airlines Center.
“It’s been a journey for sure,” Ekholm said. “It’s not fun, especially come playoff time. This is my first time dealing with anything like this, but since the day I got hurt, I’ve had a feeling that the team was going to do their part. It was up to me to find ways to get healthy as quickly as possible, and I think I’ve done everything in my power.
“These last couple weeks, there’s been a lot of anxious moments watching the games, but I felt like I made pretty steady progress up until this point, so I’m really happy where it’s at. If you look at the initial prognosis, I shouldn’t be here, so it’s a bonus that I am, and I’m happy to be here.”
Ekholm was back alongside Evan Bouchard on the top defensive pairing during Thursday’s pre-game skate at American Airlines Center, where the Oilers ran with a 12-and-six deployment of their forwards and defence over the option of going with an 11-and-seven combination to help manage his minutes.
Despite his layoff, the rearguard is ready to take on his regular role for a pivotal Game 5 against the Stars, where the Oilers will have the chance to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year to face the Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes in five games on Wednesday.
“I guess it’s a feel-out process, but you’ll have to ask the coaches about that. We haven’t talked much about it,” Ekholm said about managing his minutes. “I know we’re going at six D if I’m playing, so that gives you an idea, but I feel like I’m ready. I feel like I can play. I haven’t played in a while, so it’ll be a bit of an adjustment. But I feel great, and I don’t think I’m playing 26 minutes, but I do think I’m ready to play somewhat of a normal role.”
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