Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Mattias Ekholm comes in at No. 41  on our updated 2025 list. He wasn’t listed on Brownlee’s original list.

There are two things that even Ken Holland’s biggest detractors can’t argue with: the Zach Hyman signing and the Mattias Ekholm trade were two absolute strokes of genius.

The Oilers acquired the veteran Swedish defenseman on Feb. 28, 2023, in a trade with the Nashville Predators that saw Tyson Barrie, former first-round pick Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick in 2023 and another fourth-round pick head out the door.

The trade was almost instantly declared a massive win for the Oilers, but you could argue that it’s still worked out much better than expected.

The Oilers very clearly needed to add an elite, shutdown defenseman, and Ekholm was exactly that. The fact that he was signed for another three seasons was the cherry on top.

Ekholm stepped in and instantly improved the Oilers’ blueline. He gave a young Evan Bouchard a strong, reliable partner, and in giving the Oilers a legit top-pairing, he allowed Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci to take on some easier assignments.

He’s been a part of three playoff runs for the Edmonton Oilers, including both of their trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

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Ekholm and his family made a great first impression on both the Oilers, their........

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