Ekman-Larsson became a free agent after Vancouver bought out the final four years of his contract last month
The Florida Panthers came into free agency looking to add to the team’s defensive corps.
It didn’t take long for them to get their man.
Florida is signing veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a one-year deal worth $2.25 million. The news was first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger.
Ekman-Larsson will be 32 years old when next season begins.
He was selected sixth overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the then-Phoenix Coyotes.
The two-time NHL All-Star has racked up 135 goals and 439 points over 902 NHL games between the Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks, where he’s played the past two seasons.
The final four years of Ekman-Larsson’s contract was bought out by Vancouver last month, making him a free agent.
He signed the 8-year, $66 million deal in 2018, when he was still with Arizona.
Ekman-Larsson is known as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman that can play all situations, whether it be even strength, power play or down a man.
Last season he struggled with his mobility, though, and players took advantage by generating speed in the neutral zone and beating him wide.
That led to Ekman-Larsson backing off a bit more, which caused his gaps to be looser.
Vancouver was outscored by 22 goals when 5-on-5 with Ekman-Larsson last season.
He suffered a broken foot last summer at the 2022 World Championships which set back his offseason training, and that could have been a factor in his level of play.