This time last year, Oliver Ekman-Larsson was at a crossroads of sorts. The veteran rearguard had just been bought out by the Vancouver Canucks. And he joined the Florida Panthers in NHL Free Agency hoping to do something to revitalize his career. Now, he is a Stanley Cup champion and recently signed a four-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A lot has happened over the last year for Ekman-Larsson. He put some of what he is feeling into words in a recent Q&A with PHNX Sports reporter Craig Morgan. The Stanley Cup champion defender mentioned it wasn't an easy decision to leave Florida, but he feels joining the Maple Leafs was the right move at this time.
“I am a guy that always tries to go with my gut feeling and when Toronto showed interest I got that feeling that this is what I wanted to do and this is what we wanted to do as a family,” he said, via PHNX Sports. “I’ve always liked coming in there as an away team, playing in that building. It’s always special. Obviously, there’s a lot of history in the organization and I feel like they have a really good team that has a chance to do something special as well. I think it’s a good fit.”
Oliver Ekman-Larsson may play big role for Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs sought defensive upgrades during the 2023-24 season. In fact, they added two defenseman to the roster around the NHL Trade Deadline. Ilya Lyubushkin returned to Toronto from the Anaheim Ducks through a three-team trade. And veteran Joel Edmundson made his way to Toronto after a trade with the Washington Capitals.
However, both of those players left the Maple Leafs in NHL Free Agency. Lyubushkin joined up with the Dallas Stars while Edmundson signed on with the Los Angeles Kings. Toronto needed to replace their presence in the lineup, and Ekman-Larsson is one of two notable defensive signings the Maple Leafs made.
Ekman-Larsson is likely to find a home on Toronto's second-pairing on the left side of the blueline. He could find himself in a partnership with former first-round pick Timothy Liljegren or veteran Jake McCabe. He should also be a fixture on Toronto's power play unit. Ekman-Larsson scored 11 of his 32 points this past season while on the man advantage.
Last year, Ekman-Larsson had to prove he could still contribute at a high level in the NHL. He did that and then some with the Panthers. Now, he looks to bring his recent form to the Maple Leafs. And he certainly hopes he can bring a Stanley Cup to Toronto during these next four years.
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