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Canucks: Can Oliver Ekman-Larsson bounce back in Vancouver?

By Joshua Rey

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MAY 05: Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck against the Los Angeles Kings during the NHL game at Gila River Arena on May 05, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 4-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MAY 05: Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck against the Los Angeles Kings during the NHL game at Gila River Arena on May 05, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 4-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Ekman-Larsson has had quite the decline but maybe, just maybe he can redeem himself in Vancouver.

“I think I’m still young and I still have a lot of hockey in me,” said Ekman-Larsson. “I’ve kind of been working out a little bit more and a little bit smarter. I feel like that’s been helping me a lot. I felt that I’ve been struggling over the last four years. Before that, I was going great, and you always go through times like that in a long career, but it’s the way that you get out of it and the way that you learn from it, and I feel like I’ve been doing that.”

OEL has played in Arizona for the past eleven years and he is moving teams for the first time in his career.

“I just want to get started right now, to be honest with you,” said Ekman-Larsson “I just want the summer to be over and to move to Vancouver. I’m super excited about the fresh start and the coaching staff, it seems great, and the whole organization seems great. So I’m super excited to be a part of it.”

Sometimes a fresh start is what a player needs. The psychological aspects of playing in a new environment could benefit Ekman-Larsson

He is coming over to a Canucks team that is better than Arizona. He has a few options for defensive partners such as Travis Hamonic, Tyler Myers, Luke Schenn, and Tucker Poolman. Maybe having one of them be more defensively inclined could rejuvenate Ekman-Larsson’s offensive game and take off the defensive pressure.

New assistant coach Brad Shaw specializes in defence and a new system under him and Travis Green could provide a bit of a spark.

It is a lot to ask for Ekman-Larsson to be the player he was back in 2016. A successful season for him would be a 40 plus point season as a top-four defenceman as he isn’t really a top-two defenceman these days.

Ekman-Larsson’s contract looks like another anchor and the Canucks are really going all-in on a big gamble on a player who is declining. If OEL was the missing piece of the contending puzzle it would be understandable but the Canucks aren’t at contending status yet. However, there is the possibility of Ekman-Larsson having two or three good years left in a top-four role then it would be something but then things could look ugly when he reaches his mid to late 30s.

Next. The Canuck Way Mailbag: Projected lines, Miller at centre, and more. dark

The Canucks are throwing in all the chips with OEL and hopefully, there is some reward to come out of it.

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