The Predators further solidified their stalwart defense Monday, signing defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a six-year, $22.5 million contract.
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Mattias Ekholm inks a 6-year contract extension with the #Preds.
Coming off a two-year deal with the Predators worth just over one million per season, Ekholm has earned a pay raise with the club, and will be under a long-term contract.
The 102nd draft choice overall in 2009, Ekholm made his postseason debut last spring.
“Everything, really”, Laviolette said of Ekholm earlier in the season, per the team’s website.
It’s a big commitment for a defenseman that hasn’t yet scored a ton in his career (he has 30 points in 153 career games), but he’s still a strong defenseman with the puck and has been one of the best players in the league when it comes to preventing opponents shots.
In his second full National Hockey League season in 2014-15, the Borlange, Sweden, native doubled his rookie point total to 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists), improved the plus/minus rating by 20 points (plus-12 from minus-8) and increased his average ice time by more than two minutes (19:00 from 16:49).
The 6 foot, 4 inch, 215 pounder also played in all six playoff games for Nashville last season.
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The only defenseman the team has yet to lock up is Seth Jones, the former first-rounder, who is set to be a restricted free agent after the season.
