The Edmonton Oilers have been thriving in the current Stanley Cup playoffs, taking a 2-1 series lead in their Western Conference final series against the Dallas Stars. But for as good as the Oilers have looked, they could be even better if veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm returns to the lineup this week.

It’s still undecided if Ekholm will play in Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Stars, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters on Monday, but he remains day-to-day, meaning he could play on Thursday as well.

Edmonton has been without Ekholm’s services since the second week of April, nursing an injury that has hampered him for months. But in Ekholm’s absence, the Oilers have managed not only to survive but to put themselves in a position to add more or less a trade deadline-type asset who adds the type of physical, high-panic-threshold presence any true Cup contender needs at this time of year.

The way things are shaking out, Ekholm could be the final puzzle piece that puts the Oilers over the top and into the winner’s circle over either the Florida Panthers or Carolina Hurricanes in the Cup final. 

When this writer made his Western final prediction, we noted there was very little separating the Stars and Oilers. Through three games, that’s the way the series has played out, with Edmonton winning Games 2 and 3 to steal home-ice advantage from Dallas. We believed another returning veteran defenseman – Stars star Miro Heiskanen – would be one of the difference-makers in Dallas’ favor, but the Oilers have been able to pile up goals on Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger despite Heiskanen being in the lineup.

Ekholm’s experience and veteran know-how are highly valuable, and his ability to eat up major minutes – he averaged 22:12 of ice time this regular season, and he’s averaged 23:42 in 112 career playoff games – will have a terrific ripple effect on what the Oilers can do the rest of the way.

If Ekholm does get back in the lineup this week, life will get considerably more difficult for Stars players who enter Edmonton’s defensive zone. Ekholm’s 6-foot-5 frame and willingness to play a robust physical game will benefit the Oilers. 

The 35-year-old Swede is about to enter the final year of his contract, meaning there’s going to be some urgency to his game. Elite NHL teams want to have players who seize the moment, and after so much time on the sidelines, Ekholm should come into this series knowing how precious these opportunities really are. So, imagining he’s going to ratchet up his game isn’t at all a stretch.

The Stars are a very good bounce-back squad, so the Oilers are far from out of the woods in this Western final showdown. But the emotional and structural boost they could get from a returning Ekholm can’t be overstated. 

Ekholm is a calming influence and an experienced contributor who isn’t going to mess around once he does get into game action. Edmonton will need all hands on deck if they’re to win this year’s Cup, but so long as Ekholm does what he normally does when he’s healthy, the Oilers are in a good spot.

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Brendan Shanahan’s days with the Toronto Maple Leafs ended last week. 

Now, Shanahan has to plot out his next career move. But when you think about Shanahan’s trajectory from NHL star to NHL executive to Maple Leafs president, it’s clear his work ethic has never left him.

So, what’s next for Shanahan after Maple Leafs Sports Entertainment decided not to renew his contract? Let’s examine three potential paths ahead for him.

1. Take A Break

After Shanahan’s Hockey Hall of Fame playing career ended in October 2009, he went to work on his off-ice career, joining the NHL about a month later as the league’s vice-president of hockey and business development. A year-and-a-half later, he moved on to become the league’s senior vice-president, working on supplemental discipline for NHLers and becoming the face of the player safety department.

Less than three years after that, Shanahan took on the job of running the Leafs, which he did for the next 11 years. All of which is to say Shanahan could be looking at a prolonged vacation for the first time in his adult life. Maybe that’s what’s best for him to recharge his batteries and wait for the ideal work situation to present itself before he chooses to get back on the horse and ride in a new role.

Shanahan doesn’t need to shoehorn himself into any one situation, which is why nothing came of the New York Islanders’ rumored interest in him. Ultimately, who wouldn’t want to spend more time with their family? Shanahan now has that option for himself for the foreseeable future.

2. Get Back In The Hunt With A New Team

Some have speculated that Shanahan will want to get back to work as quickly as possible, and who knows – taking on the job of a retooling team like the Nashville Predators or Buffalo Sabres might be a good fit for him. But we see Shanahan as waiting for a different team that could be seeking a new executive to oversee things. One team in particular could offer him the chance to reunite with an old friend and former teammate.

We’re talking, of course, about the Detroit Red Wings, which haven’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs in nine seasons. 

If there’s one thing Shanahan has shown he can do in Toronto, it’s getting a team back into the post-season with a strong core. Under Shanahan, the Maple Leafs drafted and developed Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, and they signed John Tavares in 2018. The team also had six seasons of at least 100 points, including in 2017-18, its first 100-point campaign since 2003-04. The Red Wings, meanwhile, haven’t reached 100 points since 2014-15.

If he did join the Red Wings, Shanahan would likely be working once again with current Wings GM Steve Yzerman.

Hiring Shanahan to oversee things in the Motor City would work for Detroit’s ownership, which benefited from Shanahan’s expertise as a player. Perhaps there’s a setup where Yzerman could be bumped higher in the Red Wings’ management echelon – the way fellow legend Joe Sakic was elevated with the Colorado Avalanche – and Shanahan and Yzerman could wind up collaborating on key roster decisions for the Wings.

The Red Wings aren’t at the bare-bones stage of their development, so Shanahan may see Detroit as the team that will offer him the best option to step back into the fray and push a team into the post-season sooner rather than later. That may heighten the Red Wings’ Atlantic Division rivalry with the Maple Leafs. Thus, the Wings make a lot of sense for Shanahan as his next management destination.

Brendan Shanahan, The Leafs' President, Lacked Brendan Shanahan, The PlayerWhen Brendan Shanahan was hired as the Toronto Maple Leafs president in 2014, and for the first couple of years after that, there was more optimism around this organization than there had been in decades. And for good reason.

3. Go Back To Work For The NHL

Shanahan has had a terrific relationship with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for decades now.

Having the opportunity to work once again at the NHL’s head office in New York City would also work for Shanahan as a longtime resident of Manhattan and someone who understands what it is to be part of the sports scene in the New York City area.

To be sure, working for another team is probably what best suits Shanahan’s competitive desire. But unless there’s an ideal situation with a team that checks all the boxes for him, going back to the league as a higher-up right away wouldn’t be seen as a step down for him. To the contrary – Shanahan’s notable impact with the “Shanahan Summit” demonstrated he can do something meaningful for the game he loves. 

If that means not running a team until such time as a perfect situation for him arises with a different franchise, Shanahan would be welcomed with open arms by Bettman & Co. If he wants to get back to work right away, the league has demonstrated it will find a role that he’s happy with. And after one or two years working for the league once again, the hockey landscape could look much different for Shanahan – and it could offer him a perfect fit eventually.

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Over the past 15 years, NHL teams that ponied up some high-priced packages to land sought-after players at the trade deadline were left with buyer’s remorse.

Here are six of those trades on the Regret-O-Meter.

By Jared Clinton, Features Writer

Blues Bother

St. Louis Blues: Ryan Miller, 2013-14 (with Steve Ott from Buffalo for 2015 first-round pick, 2016 third-round pick, Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart and William Carrier)

A big splash, Miller floundered in St. Louis. In post-deadline action, Miller put up mediocre numbers, and his post-season performance was downright woeful. He allowed 19 goals on 185 shots as the Blues sputtered out of the first round in six games.

Tanner In The Works

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tanner Jeannot, 2022-23(from Nashville for 2023 third, fourth, fifth-round picks, 2024 second-round pick, 2025 first-round pick and Cal Foote)

Beyond his 24-goal rookie year, Jeannot held appeal with his physicality and toughness, and the Bolts went above and beyond to land him. But in 75 games with Tampa, he had only 18 points – and just one in the playoffs – as the Lightning made consecutive first-round exits.

No Mas, Tomas

Vegas Golden Knights: Tomas Tatar, 2017-18 (from Detroit for 2018 first-round pick, 2019 second-round pick, 2021 third-round pick)

On a per-game basis, Tatar’s regular-season output dipped only slightly after his acquisition. But in the playoffs? Tatar was scratched for 12 of 20 games during the Knights’ run to the final. If he performs, perhaps Vegas has two Cups.

Staaling Out

New York Rangers: Eric Staal, 2015-16(from Carolina for 2016 second-round pick, 2017 second-round pick and Aleksi Saarela) 

Staal was a headline-making pickup, but he flopped. He managed just three goals and six points in 20 games to finish the campaign, then failed to hit the scoresheet in the post-season as the Blueshirts flamed out in five games.

Gaborik Rolled

Columbus Blue Jackets: Marian Gaborik, 2012-13 (with Blake Parlett and Steven Delisle from New York Rangers for 2014 sixth-round pick, Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett and John Moore)

It was a statement trade by the Jackets, who were in the hunt, but it was all for naught. Gaborik excelled, but Columbus narrowly missed the post-season. Injuries then hampered him, and he was dealt to L.A. in March 2014.

Jeez Lu-Weise

Chicago Blackhawks: Dale Weise, 2016-17(with Tomas Fleischmann from Montreal for 2018 second-round pick and Phillip Danault)

Weise ended up a healthy scratch in Chicago and managed one goal and two points across 19 regular-season and playoff outings. Meanwhile, Danault evolved into one of the NHL’s premier two-way pivots.

This article appeared in our 2025 Top 100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.