Mattias Ekholm opens up about tough conversation in locker room with Troy Stecher
Photo credit: USA Today Sports
The Edmonton Oilers finally got top pairing defenceman Mattias Ekholm back from injury, but it forced the team to make a tough decision to scratch Troy Stecher.
With Ekholm's return, there was a real chance the Oilers played 7 defenceman to still include Stecher - but injuries to Hyman and Brown brought up the need for a forward.
Ekholm pulled Troy Stecher aside for conversation after healthy scratch
In a recent interview, Troy Stecher showed his total selflessness to understand being scratched for Ekholm upon his return. Stecher has played great on the third pair and didn't deserve to come out, but he simply recognized Ekholm is better.
I want him healthy and I want him to help us win. He's a better player than I am. That's just the reality of the world.
- Troy Stecher
- Troy Stecher
A professional player never wants to come out of the lineup, but Stecher recognized the reality of the situation and was more than willing to put the team first. It was an astonishing display of selflessness.
Reportedly, Ekholm saw the quote from Stecher and pulled him aside for a locker room chat. The big Swedish defender was truly touched by the great environment the team had created in the locker room.
Just told him I really respect him. It just tells you everything you need to know about Troy Stecher - what a teammate he is and what a guy he is, how he conducts himself every day. I'm just a big fan of him. Truly special to be part of a group (with) guys like that.
- Mattias Ekholm
- Mattias Ekholm
This is the type of team-first mentality it takes to win a Stanley Cup, and the Oilers locker room is full of these players. By every metric they're ready to win the Cup, and now finally, they have another chance.
| POLL | ||
MAI 31 | 749 ANSWERS Mattias Ekholm opens up about tough conversation in locker room with Troy Stecher Do you think the Oilers should play 7 defenceman including Stecher? | ||
| Yes | 476 | 63.6 % |
| No | 273 | 36.4 % |
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