Today, the Arizona Coyotes have named their star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson as the fourth captain in Coyotes’ history.
This big news was buried quickly after the Erik Karlsson trade broke, but it is still a very important moment for Arizona Coyotes fans. Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the newest captain, joining Keith Tkachuk, Teppo Numminen, and Shane Doan as the fourth captain in Arizona Coyotes history.
At 26 years old, Ekman-Larsson has made his presence known both on the ice and off. His skill with the puck is unquestioned and he is a highly respected man in the locker room.
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In the 2009 Entry Draft, the Coyotes selected Ekman-Larsson sixth overall. He was part of a loaded draft selection with players like John Tavares, Victor Hedman, and Matt Duchene going before him.
He started his NHL career in the 2010-11 season and played 48 games before getting sent down to the AHL. His first season wasn’t great but the next one, he played a full 82 NHL games and put up 32 points (13 goals and 19 assists).
His puck moving skills are notorious in the league and his ability to control the puck is desperately needed in Arizona. Ever since 2011-12, his average time on ice has always been above 22 minutes a game. OEL quickly became the Coyotes’ best defenseman and was relied upon to match up against the toughest opponents and to quarterback both the power play and penalty kill. Ekman-Larsson had this to say about the honor.
His puck moving skills are notorious in the league and his ability to control the puck is desperately needed in Arizona. Ever since 2011-12, his average time on ice has always been above 22 minutes a game. OEL quickly became the Coyotes’ best defenseman and was relied upon to match up against the toughest opponents and to quarterback both the power play and penalty kill. Ekman-Larsson had this to say about the honor.
Even though the Coyotes were a bad team for the last ten years, the tides are turning for them. They have young stars on the rise like Jacob Chychrun, Clayton Keller, and Christian Dvorak as well as skilled “veterans” like OEL and Alex Galchenyuk. If their goalie Antti Raanta can stay healthy next season, this team will be a playoff contender.
Even though the Coyotes were a bad team for the last ten years, the tides are turning for them. They have young stars on the rise like Jacob Chychrun, Clayton Keller, and Christian Dvorak as well as skilled “veterans” like OEL and Alex Galchenyuk. If their goalie Antti Raanta can stay healthy next season, this team will be a playoff contender.