Mattias Ekholm appears set to return to the Edmonton Oilers lineup as they take on the Calgary Flames Wednesday evening. The defenseman missed a couple of games after landing awkwardly on the side of his head following a hit from William Carrier of the Carolina Hurricanes.
It was a worrisome moment as Ekholm lay on the ice. The Oilers defenseman couldn’t get up, proving it wasn’t just a routine hit the otherwise resilient defenseman could shrug off. The play stopped, and trainers rushed to the ice. He eventually skated to the dressing room with help from the Oilers medical staff.
Ekholm Is Ready to Return to Action
Ekholm spoke with Edmonton media Tuesday morning and said he has passed all the return-to-play protocols. He feels he could play tomorrow, and it looks like he will.
Ekholm called it a strange experience, saying he’d never had a concussion before.
“It was scary at first. My legs just gave out, and I couldn’t get up to my knees even, but as soon as I got down the tunnel it was like someone flipped the light switch back on and I was back to normal with no headaches or symptoms. I’ve been feeling good since a few minutes after it happened. Luckily, I have felt good ever since. I think I have an angel watching over me, because it could have been a lot worse.”
He is right in that the hit looked bad. He fell directly on the side of his head, and his lack of movement at first drew real concern. Fortunately, he was able to move around and slowly get up, even as his feet seemed to buckle underneath him.
Ekholm Back In, Jake Walman Out?
While it appears Ekholm will be back in the lineup for the Oilers, another defenseman might be coming out. Jake Walman skated as the seventh defenseman at the Oilers skate on Tuesday, meaning his absence wouldn’t be injury-related. This would be a healthy scratch.
Shakir Mukhamadullin and Ty Emberson will make up the Oilers’ third pairing, assuming the lines at practice are any indication. That means Walman might be getting a message from the coaching staff, which could make sense given his recent struggles.
Walman played only 13:16, his second-lowest total ice time in a game this season.
The Oilers will also be without Zach Hyman, who hit his head when he took a hit from Andreas Englund on Monday night versus the Detroit Red Wings. Hyman left the game and did not return. He also did not skate at Tuesday’s practice, and the hope is that his injury—assumed to be a concussion—is as mild as Ekholm’s.
The Oilers haven’t been able to ice a full roster all season. It seems like every time a player or two return from injury, one or two more leave.
Ekholm Details The Moments After His “Scary” Concussion Incident