The moments after the Edmonton Oilers became the 2024 Western Conference Champions were a whirlwind.
As the clock wound down to a stressful final buzzer, pure excitement radiated throughout Rogers Place. The fans were deafening, and the Oilers were celebrating as NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly brought the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl onto the ice.
After the on-ice celebration came to a close, the party continued inside the Oilers’ dressing room. Behind-the-scenes footage on Oilers Plus showed team owner Daryl Katz chatting with players in the locker room. It even caught a hilarious yet heartwarming moment, shared between defenceman Mattias Ekholm and GM Ken Holland.
“Thanks for trading for me,” Ekholm told the Oilers GM, laughing after a hug.
LMFAOOO EKKY 😭 pic.twitter.com/0a4Bzl7Aj2
— x – mii ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ (@RyanMcLeoder) June 5, 2024
What Ekholm is referring to is Holland acquiring the Swedish defenceman in a trade with the Nashville Predators at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. That deal saw Edmonton send defenceman Tyson Barrie, top prospect Reid Schafer, and a first-round pick back to the Predators.
Now, a little over a year later, it looks like the Oilers have come out of that trade as the clear winner. Ekholm has continued to be one of the best defensemen in the entire NHL and has set career highs in goals (11) and points (45) in his first full season with Edmonton.
That high level of play has continued into the playoffs, as Ekholm has four goals and seven points in 18 games. He has helped form one of the deadliest defensive pairs in the entire league with Evan Bouchard, who is closing in on the NHL record for playoff points by a defenceman in a single season.
Of course, not only is Ekholm grateful to be on a team headed to the Stanley Cup Final, but the Oilers are also happy to have him. The 34-year-old brings an element to this team that Edmonton hasn’t seen the likes of since Chris Pronger was here during their last run to the finals in 2006.
Ekholm and the rest of this Oilers team will be hoping for a different result than that ’06 run as they open up their final series against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night.