Ekman-Larsson was inserted on the top power play midway through their first man advantage on Saturday, replacing Morgan Rielly.
Ekman-Larsson was inserted on the top power play midway through their first man advantage on Saturday, replacing Morgan Rielly.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to search for answers on their power play, which has gone 0-for-9 through the first three games, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is looking to help out in any way he can. After being inserted into the top power play unit midway through Saturday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ekman-Larsson is eager to help the team rediscover its offensive rhythm with the man advantage.
“(I’m) just trying to help out in any way I can,” Ekman-Larsson said after Monday’s practice. “If that's some power play or the PK or 5-on-5, it doesn't really matter. I'm just going to try to do what I can to help the team out and get a win. That's what it's all about.”
The Maple Leafs generated nine shot attempts with Ekman-Larsson quarterbacking the power play, compared to just two with Morgan Rielly. The Swedish defenseman is known for his comfort shooting from the blue line, registering five shots of his own in a team-high 25:02 of total ice time on Saturday.
“He was always one of those guys that could really sift that puck through and get it through all the time,” Berube said on Monday. “We like that he's looking to shoot a lot too, which is good. He had a bunch of shots and a bunch of attempts last game.”
Despite both units being littered with talent, especially the first group, Toronto has yet to capitalize on the man advantage this season, something that Ekman-Larsson attributes to trying to do too much – overcomplicating plays.
With that also comes plenty of leisure the 33-year-old emphasized. Given the wealth of options; Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and Matthew Knies, it’s a system that if used right, could be used to the team’s advantage. However, simplicity is the key.
“Obviously we work on it. Trying to score every chance we get. But sometimes simplifying it a little bit. I think you're trying to look for that next play instead of maybe, like I said, get it to the net and kind of create some rebounds and stuff like that,” Ekman-Larsson explained. “I think that's just go back to the basics and shoot the puck a little bit more.”
“It's nice. I mean, you kind of look around. It's kind of hard to decide who to give the puck to sometimes. But I think any of those guys that you give the puck to, it's a good option. It's so many threats out there that they really have to be aware of a lot of guys out there. I think that we kind of have to use that to our advantage a little bit too – kind of open up different looks and kind of work on that. But it's fun to be on that unit and just try and, like I said, trying to help those guys out to get some more looks.”
Berube acknowledged after Saturday’s victory over the Penguins that the power play had been ‘stagnant’ to start the season and noted it needed a spark. That spark looks to be coming through Ekman-Larsson, mentioning that repetitions will continue to be the biggest opportunity to break through.
"He's run power plays for a long time in Arizona and stuff. Shoots the puck from the point. You know, he establishes that shot. Pretty fluid in a walk in the line and seeing the ice,” Berube said on Saturday.
"So far it's been stagnant. We all know that. Just moving some guys around tonight. Just trying to find a spark, something different," Berube explained. "I thought it got better in the third. Some opportunities. But we got to, we got to get some, to work on it."
At Monday’s practice, Ekman-Larsson remained on the top unit as they took reps at the Ford Performance Centre. Despite the predicted change with the insertion of Tavares when he returns from illness (at some point), Ekman-Larsson seems poised to remain on the first power play unit regardless. On the second unit, Rielly anchored the blueline playing alongside forwards Max Domi, Bobby McMann, Nick Robertson, and Max Pacioretty.
Ekman-Larsson’s offensive instincts and his willingness to fire shots from the point look to be what the Leafs value in reigniting their power play, which ranked seventh in the NHL in the 2023-24 season.
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