Scoring his first-ever hat trick wasn't enough to convince Team Sweden to add Oilers defender Mattias Ekholm to the Olympic roster.

Mattias Ekholm’s recent hat trick may have turned heads in Edmonton, but it wasn’t enough to change Team Sweden’s Olympic plans. For the second time, the veteran Oilers defenseman was passed over as Sweden finalized a couple of injury replacements for the 2026 Winter Games,

When goalie Stuart Skinner was traded to Pittsburgh six weeks ago, Mattias Ekholm not only lost his friend, but he lost his designated driver or his front-seat passenger on their regular rides to the rink or to the airport.