Mattias Ekholm will make his 2025 playoff debut on Thursday night in Edmonton's opportunity to eliminate Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at American Airlines Center
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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.
With a victory, Edmonton can advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year to face the defending champion Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes in five games on Wednesday.
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 having an extra blueliner in 11-and-seven to help manage his minutes.
The Swedish blueliner hasn’t played since April 11, when he played only three shifts and 1:52 of ice time in his first game back from missing seven games due to an injury, which resulted in him missing the last four games of the regular season and all 15 games so far in the 2025 playoffs.
Mattias looks to make his return to the lineup for Game 5 in Dallas
Troy Stecher served as one of Edmonton’s extra skaters during the full-team practice alongside Cam Dineen, Max Jones, Derek Ryan and Connor Brown and is anticipated to come out of the lineup to make way for the Swedish defenceman’s return.
Since getting into the lineup in Game 4 of the Second Round against the Golden Knights, Stecher has been an impactful presence on the blueline, and his omission for the Oilers tonight showcases the exceptional depth they have at their disposal by having to take an effective player out of the lineup.
With the loss of Zach Hyman for the remainder of the playoffs, Jeff Skinner will replace the winger and make his second career postseason appearance on a line with Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic after serving as a healthy scratch for the Oilers since Game 2 of the First Round against Los Angeles.
More to follow.
Jeff talks to the media as he gets back in the lineup for Game 5
View the Oilers Projected Game 5 Lineup vs. Dallas below:
Nugent-Hopkins – McDavid – Perry
Kane – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Skinner – Henrique – Frederic
Podkolzin – Janmark – Arvidsson
Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Kulak
Walman – Klingberg
Skinner
Pickard
