2. Mattias Ekholm, D
On Feb. 28, 2023, the Oilers traded for Mattias Ekholm, hoping he could help the team on its quest to win its first Stanley Cup since 1990. And things got off to a good start, with Ekholm logging 14 points in 21 games, and a plus-28 rating. Ekholm even kept up his physical edge, and he appeared to be poised to keep that going in 2023-24, his first full season in Edmonton.
But that hasn’t happened, with Ekholm logging just five points and a minus-3 rating through 14 games and 20:21 of average total ice time. While he’s been effective in the offensive zone, as evidenced by his 61.1 Corsi For and 10 goals for while he’s on the ice at 5-on-5, there have also been plenty of downsides.
This has particularly come without the puck, as the Oilers have allowed 12 goals with Ekholm in the game, and his on-ice save percentage sits at a meager 88.0, a career-low since his first full season in 2013-14. Ekholm has also given the puck away an alarming 17 times, so his play has, at best, been turbulent so far.
However, Ekholm had a good game recently vs. the Seattle Kraken, logging 22:07 of ice time, three blocks, an assist, and four shots on goal. Perhaps he, like McDavid, is finally starting to turn things around.