There are some serious injuries that almost certainly will spell doom for an NHL team’s Stanley Cup playoff hopes.

The New Jersey Devils, for instance, aren’t going to be favored to win anything this spring without the services of star center Jack Hughes in this year’s post-season. And on Friday night, the Edmonton Oilers lost veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm with a serious injury that TSN reported could keep him out “for quite some time”, if not end his season.  

Losing Ekholm – Edmonton’s best all-around blueliner in the eyes of many – could be a death blow for the Oilers’ playoff aspirations. And certainly, if you look at Ekholm’s recent game-by-game history, you can see why more than a few observers feel Edmonton will be in big trouble without him in the lineup.

Prior to Friday’s injury, Ekholm had missed seven straight games and 13 of Edmonton’s previous 17 games – and the Oilers went a thoroughly mediocre 10-6-1 in that 17-game span. And although Ekholm’s offensive contributions aren’t his strongest suit, Ekholm has generated nine goals and 33 points in 65 games thus far this season. Thirty-eight of those 65 games he played in were Oilers victories, and in those 38 games, Ekholm produced seven goals and 23 points. Meanwhile, in Edmonton’s 27 losses with Ekholm in the lineup, Ekholm produced only two goals and 10 points.

But Ekholm’s presence as a physical force and a savvy performer in his own zone is what will be missed the most. The 34-year-old Swede has averaged 22:12 of ice time this year, and while the Oilers’ other veteran D-men – including Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, Jake Walman and Brett Kulak – will be expected to pick up the slack in Ekholm’s absence, the reality is that Ekholm’s skill set can’t be replaced by just adding minutes to other defensemen’s responsibilities. There’s going to be a drop-off in play without Ekholm on the ice, and there’s really not much Edmonton can do about it.

The Oilers’ two best players are superstar centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but not having Ekholm in the lineup is only going to underscore Edmonton’s defensive deficiencies. Even with Ekholm on the ice, the Oilers are tied for the NHL’s 15th-best defense this season, allowing an average of 2.90 goals-against per game.

And it’s not like Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner has made a name for himself by stealing games all on his own. He needs all the help he can get from the defenders in front of him, and without Ekholm to depend on, Skinner’s job is going to be all the more difficult.

Perhaps we’ll see a minor miracle, and the Oilers will rally in Ekholm’s absence and somehow figure out a way to beat the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs. But people are going to be skeptical they can do that, and rightly so.

Ekholm’s calming presence and ability to make opponents pay a physical price are talents that don’t grow on trees, and now that he’s bound to be out for weeks, if not longer, Edmonton may have suffered damage they won’t be able to recover from.

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