The veteran defenceman's buyout from the Vancouver Canucks brought him to the Stanley Cup Finals

One of the most memorable parts of Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s tenure with the Canucks may have been his first training camp with the club. A trademark Travis Green bag skate caught the veteran defender skating paces behind his teammates — something fans and media members alike were quick to point out. Of course, training camp performances don’t always dictate how a player will play throughout the season, but many saw Ekman-Larsson’s relay as a worrying indicator of how his year could pan out.

This left a sour taste in the mouths of Canucks fans. Many shared the same belief — that Ekman-Larsson was past his prime, that he’d be less durable, and that he wouldn’t be able to perform to the level that his contract demanded. He could bring leadership, as shown in his three years as captain of the formerly-titled Arizona Coyotes, but many were wary of whether he was worth the hefty price tag or not. While some of these concerns may have come true, Ekman-Larsson now has a slight edge over his former fanbase: he’s heading to a Stanley Cup Final.

 Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s history with the Vancouver Canucks was frantic, to say the least. When talks of acquiring the Swedish defender first arose, Ekman-Larsson was five years removed from a 55-point season — an outlier compared to his typical 20-to-40 point seasons. Discussions of his acquisition began a year prior to the actual trade, back in 2020, when Canucks management was trying to re-sign Jacob Markström. This came off the heels of Ekman-Larsson claiming that if he were to waive his no-trade clause, he would only waive it to go to the Boston Bruins or the Canucks.

By the time the Ekman-Larsson trade deadline passed, the Canucks had not only let go of the Coyotes’ Swedish defender but also defensive fan-favourites Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher. This kicked off a 2020-2021 season that would eventually grant Vancouver the 9th overall pick in the 2021 draft — something that would become very important as the draft day loomed.

Ekman-Larsson was finally acquired by Vancouver in 2021, with his massive contract being ‘evened out’ by pesky forward Conor Garland. In exchange, the Canucks sent back forwards Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, and Antoine Roussel, as well as a plethora of picks. What may have hurt the Canucks the most, other than Ekman-Larsson’s cap hit, was the ninth overall pick that they exchanged, which the Coyotes used to draft Dylan Guenther.

 Ekman-Larsson spent two seasons with the Canucks before he was bought out during the offseason of 2023. Tasked with defending a blueline that was highlighted by Quinn Hughes and Tyler Myers, it was clear that Ekman-Larsson wouldn’t be getting the same type of offensive role that he’d once enjoyed in Arizona. Moreover, the team’s defensive style saw the veteran defender chewing up more minutes and playing in a top-four role that wasn’t suitable for his age. In both seasons with the Canucks. Ekman-Larsson played an average of 22:19 and 20:10 per game, respectively.

The Canucks bought Ekman-Larsson out in 2023, shocking many around the country as well as the defender himself. While semi-unexpected, the move was generally welcomed by fans. For Ekman-Larsson, this move meant another shot at rejuvenating his career. Freed of the pressure accompanying his hefty contract, he signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract with the Florida Panthers.

 Since arriving in Flordia, Ekman-Larsson has enjoyed a more relaxed setting on the blue line. Accompanied by the likes of Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour, and former Canuck Gustav Forsling, he’s had his average minutes per game reduced to 18:23. His 32 points in the regular season are a 10-point improvement from his last season with Vancouver, and his previously -24 plus-minus record has improved to +10.

Typically playing on the third pairing of the Panthers’ D-core, Ekman-Larsson’s swan-song of a season has been marked with his first-ever visit to the Stanley Cup Finals. While players on the Panthers have previously gone through the same waves of emotions, having just played in the Finals last year, Ekman-Larsson’s rejuvenated self should help the team greatly. His decreased minutes will allow the team to rely on him when their ‘big’ players need a break.

Much like how a minutes-per-game decrease has positively impacted the play of Tyler Myers, Ekman-Larsson’s performances with Florida have more than made up for the cap hit he’s currently costing the Panthers. While he wasn’t able to live up to the contract he was granted by the Arizona Coyotes, the resurgence of his career is something that Canucks fans can gladly cheer for as the Florida Panthers prepare to take on the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals.

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