Welcome to Oilersnation’s annual player review series, where we dive into the Edmonton Oilers season player by player. We’ll look back at the season that was, what kind of impact each player had, and what we could see from them next season. You can read about the analytics behind my analysis here.

When the Oilers traded for Mattias Ekholm back in 2023, he was an immediate fit. He formed a new pairing with up-and-coming defenceman Evan Bouchard, and the Oilers cruised to an incredible 18-2-1 record in the first 21 games of the Ekholm era.

The grizzled veteran provided stability, experience, and stellar two-way results that exceeded expectations. Since his Oiler debut, Ekholm is second in the NHL in plus-minus, at 115 — only MacKinnon’s 123 is better. Sure, plus-minus is an imperfect stat, but if you’ve followed the Oilers with any regularity over the years, you know Ekholm’s is well-earned.

He and Bouchard elevated the top of Edmonton’s lineup, propelling........

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