Oliver Ekman-Larsson says he found his game again in 2023-24

After Toronto Maple Leafs Brad Treliving lightly dipped his feet into the free agency pool in 2023, sprinkling in a couple of one-year contracts in Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and John Klingberg (along with a three-year deal for Ryan Reaves) he shifted the philosophy with a year under his belt as GM. The summer of 2024 has been all about two things thus far – term, and revamping the defensive corps.

 

While Toronto native and longtime defensive stalwart Chris Tanev has been receiving most of the attention, signing a six-year contract with the Leafs, they also signed veteran defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a four-year contract, a move that will quietly stabilize their middle-of-the-order on D. The longtime Arizona Coyote signed a one-year contract with the eventual Cup-champion Florida Panthers last summer after two disastrous years with the Vancouver Canucks and had himself a solid bounce-back season, tallying nine goals and 32 points in 80 games. He saw time on the team’s second power-play unit and stepped into the main role while Brandon Montour was injured.

Now 32 years old and making $3.5 annually for the next four years, “OEL” believes that the best is yet to come.

What makes the signing particularly intriguing from the Leafs’ standpoint is his puck-moving ability and offensive instincts. The Leafs tried to add that presence to their back end last season with the Klingberg signing, but his mistakes defensively outweighed the little offence he brought over a 14-game stint before hip surgery shut him down for the season. Ekman-Larsson, meanwhile, would have led all Maple Leafs defencemen in goals last year. His ability to move the puck up the ice is something they desperately lacked last season and one of the many factors into why they fizzled out in the first round again. Despite the confidence in his ability on the rush, he believes he can be even better.

It’s obviously unknown at this time where the Leafs will use him, but having Rielly, OEL, and the newly-extended Timothy Liljegren all as options for power play time and similar roles will benefit them greatly. New head coach Craig Berube and assistant coach Marc Savard, who will seemingly oversee the power play, will have options and can simply pivot to which two are performing the strongest.

At even-strength, it seems reasonable to predict that he’ll skate alongside either Liljegren or Jake McCabe on the second pairing, but that’s what training camp is for. Either way, bringing in two players who just won a Cup down south and have confidence in improving their own game can only be seen as a positive at this stage of the offseason.