What Happened
Mattias Ekholm exited Thursday's Oilers game against the Carolina Hurricanes in the third period after a collision with William Carrier. Ekholm was moving the puck out of his own end when Carrier hit him, and his head appeared to strike the ice as he fell. Trainers attended to him while he stayed on his knees, and he needed help from teammates to leave the ice after getting up unsteadily. Edmonton ruled him out for the rest of the game.
Key Details
- Ekholm was injured in the third period of Thursday's game against Carolina.
- The collision came from William Carrier as Ekholm played the puck out of his own end.
- His head appeared to hit the ice on the fall.
- Ekholm needed assistance from teammates to leave the ice.
- The Oilers ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
- Ekholm, 36, had one goal and two assists in nine games entering Thursday.
What It Means
Ekholm is one of Edmonton's most relied-upon defencemen, so any absence would test the team's blue-line depth. The source does not provide a diagnosis or timeline, and the Oilers have only ruled him out for the remainder of Thursday's game. His status beyond that is not yet known.
What's Next
The Oilers are expected to provide an update on Ekholm's condition. No diagnosis or timeline has been announced.