The Best Deadline Trade This Year Was Made by The Edmonton Oilers?

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Ryan Hall
May 25, 2023 (11:08)

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After every trade deadline, many NHL pundits and fanbases judge their general managers' decisions on trades and signings well after the year is over.

These other players are usually brought in based on the results of their playoff run, especially rentals. Other people look at the team and see where it stands and what they will do in the offseason.

One of the best acquisitions of general manager Ken Holland's time will be the mattias ekholm trade. Ekholm is celebrating his 33rd birthday, has been an excellent addition to the Oilers organization and gives stability on the back end.

While playing for 21 games with the Oilers, he scored four goals and 10 assists for 14 points. He also was a + 28, which certainly explains his value to the team and why Holland made the trade for him.

According to Capfriendly.com, he also holds excellent cap value. He has three years remaining on his contract and holds a cap hit of $6 million AAV.

That number along with his production and defensive capabilities certainly gives him tons of value whether the Oilers want to move him or keep him for the remainder of his deal or long term.

It remains to be seen what Holland will do come the draft and unrestricted free agency this summer. With seven free agents and only $5.97 million in projected cap space, he certainly has his work cut out for him.