Oliver Ekman-Larsson reveals the challenging burden of silence he carried before his return to the Olympic stage was finally made official.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson is heading to his second-ever Olympics next month.
The Toronto Maple Leafs veteran defenseman was one of two Maple Leafs players named to Team Sweden, alongside William Nylander. Although the official announcement came on Monday, the 34-year-old veteran revealed that he actually received a heads-up that he was going to make the team.
"I don't want to give away too much, but I think we just got back from Dallas right before Christmas," Ekman-Larsson said on Tuesday morning. "That's when I found out".
The Leafs visited the Dallas Stars on Dec. 21 and flew home to Toronto the next day before taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins at home ahead of the three-day holiday break. This timeline means Ekman-Larsson had roughly two weeks of notice.
"It was hard knowing and not being able to talk about it," Ekman-Larsson admitted. "But obviously, I was super happy and called my family and told them". Interestingly, when Ekman-Larsson was asked about the chances of making the Swedish squad on Dec. 27, he remained humble, saying, "We'll see; it would mean the world to me.". Now we know he already knew his spot was secure.
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Out of respect for those who didn't get selected, he handled the situation with class by keeping the news quiet. His family also did an excellent job of not spoiling the surprise.
This Olympic selection is the latest milestone in what has been quite a journey for Ekman-Larsson, who has enjoyed a renaissance during his time in Toronto. Now in his second season with the Leafs, the club has utilized the veteran across various defensive pairings as injuries have thinned the blueline. He has been asked to do more, and he has excelled.
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D-man Oliver Ekman-Larsson represented Sweden at those Olympics 12 years ago when they won the silver medal.
After being bought out by the Vancouver Canucks in the summer of 2023, Ekman-Larsson won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers—a year he credits for helping him regain his confidence. His versatility has been his biggest strength, likely pushing him ahead of other options for the national team.
Ekman-Larsson also brings valuable experience to the roster, having won a silver medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. That was also the last time NHL players were able to participate in the Games.
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