Before the Mattias Ekholm trade went down, there was another trade in the works for the Edmonton Oilers that would have seen them acquire an elite offensive defenceman.
February 28th, 2023 will forever be etched in the minds of Edmonton Oilers fans. This was the day that the Oilers made two trades. One sent Jesse Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes. The other brought in Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators.
The Ekholm trade saw the Oilers also acquire a 6th round pick in the 2024 NHL entry draft. In exchange for the Swedish defenceman, the Oilers sent Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, a 2023 1st round pick, and a 2024 4th round pick to the Predators.
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But according to a recent clip from an upcoming podcast - that trade was a last minute deal, and the Oilers could have landed a different all-star defenceman at the trade deadline.
"I heard some Erik Karlsson rumors." Barrie told Luke Gazdic, host of the Mitts Off podcast. "That's kinda the only place you're going to go if we get a chance to get Erik Karlsson."
Former Oiler defenceman Tyson Barrie.Given where the Oilers were in the standings and the progression the team has experienced in recent years - they wanted to add another true game-breaking talent to the team. Karlsson has been an offensive force his entire career, with 757 points in 919 career regular season games.
Barrie goes on to say, "something came together last minute and it kinda caught me off guard."
The Oilers jumped at the opportunity to acquire Ekholm in a last minute deal. The shift in targets was an excellent decision on the organization's part. Not that the Oilers couldn't have used someone of Karlsson's talent. But the leadership, mentoring, and two-way game of Ekholm has helped the Oilers out in an area they need it most - preventing goals.
Current Nashville Predator Tyson Barrie.Karlsson would have changed the complexion of the team, and could have set off a series of events that would lead to a different defence corps. Ultimately, the Oilers pulled the trigger on a deal that improved the team last season and the seasons to come.
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