Oliver Ekman-Larsson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Ekman-Larsson with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021
Born	(1991-07-17) 17 July 1991 (age 33) Karlskrona, Sweden
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	191 lb (87 kg; 13 st 9 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Toronto Maple Leafs Arizona Coyotes Vancouver Canucks Florida Panthers
National team	Sweden
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2009 Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career	2010–present

Oliver Oscar Emanuel Ekman-Larsson (born 17 July 1991) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League (NHL). People often call him "OEL" for short.

Oliver was chosen sixth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2009 NHL entry draft. He was known as one of the best attacking defencemen in the NHL. He even led the Coyotes in scoring for two seasons. After playing 11 seasons with Arizona, Oliver moved to the Vancouver Canucks in 2021. He played there for two seasons before joining the Florida Panthers. In 2024, he achieved a big dream by winning the Stanley Cup with the Panthers.

Oliver's Hockey Journey

Oliver Ekman-Larsson started his hockey career in Sweden. He played for the Tingsryds AIF club in the 2007–08 season. He then moved to Leksands IF, where he played for two more seasons.

Playing for the Coyotes (2010–2021)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson (right foreground) defending against Daniel Sedin in 2012.

The Phoenix Coyotes picked Oliver as their sixth overall draft choice in 2009. He signed his first NHL contract on 24 May 2010. Even though he missed some games to play for Sweden in the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he still scored a lot of points.

Oliver got his first NHL point on 23 October 2010, by helping a teammate score a goal. His first NHL goal came on 17 January 2011.

In the 2011–12 NHL season, Oliver played in every game. He scored 13 goals and made 19 assists. That year, the Coyotes made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Oliver played his first playoff game on 12 April 2012. He scored his first playoff goal on 23 April, helping the Coyotes win their first-ever playoff series. They went on to the conference finals but lost to the Los Angeles Kings.

During a time when NHL games were paused (called a lockout), Oliver played for the Portland Pirates. When the NHL season started again, he played all 48 games for the Coyotes.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson playing for the Phoenix Coyotes in 2014.

On 6 March 2014, Oliver reached 100 points in his NHL career. At the end of the 2013–14 NHL season, he was ranked seventh for the James Norris Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the NHL's best defenceman.

On 16 December 2014, Oliver scored a game-winning goal with only 0.03 seconds left in overtime! He was chosen to play in the 2015 National Hockey League All-Star Game. On 29 January 2015, he scored the fastest goal to start a period while his team was shorthanded. He scored 23 goals in the 2014–15 NHL season. This made him the first Swedish-born defenceman in NHL history to score more than 20 goals in one season. His 23 goals were the most by any NHL defenceman that year.

On 19 December 2015, Oliver scored another game-winning goal. This made him the Coyotes' record holder for most game-winning goals by a defenceman. On 12 January 2016, he had a career-best night with four points, including an overtime-winning goal. On 24 March, he set an NHL record for the most game-winning goals by a defenceman in a single season, with eight. He was the second defenceman in Coyotes history to score 20 or more goals in two seasons in a row.

In the 2016–17 NHL season, Oliver scored his 40th powerplay goal. This tied the franchise record for defencemen. On 3 April, Oliver took a break from the last three games of the season to be with his family in Sweden after his mother passed away.

On 14 October 2017, Oliver broke the franchise record for powerplay goals by a defenceman. He was chosen to represent the Coyotes at the 2018 National Hockey League All-Star Game. After the season, he was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. This award recognizes players who show great leadership and give back to their community.

On 1 July 2018, Oliver signed a big eight-year contract with the Coyotes. He was later named the captain of the team. Oliver was the last captain of the Coyotes before the team became inactive in 2024.

Playing for the Canucks (2021–2023)

On 23 July 2021, Oliver was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. He scored his first goal as a Canuck on 13 October. On 7 April 2022, he played his first game against his old team, the Arizona Coyotes, and got an assist.

On 16 June 2023, the Canucks ended his contract early, making him a free agent.

Playing for the Panthers (2023–2024)

On 1 July 2023, Oliver signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers. Because some teammates were injured, Oliver got more time on the ice. He also played well with another defenceman, which helped him join the Panthers' top power play group. He achieved a huge milestone by winning the Stanley Cup with the Panthers on 24 June 2024. They won game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers.

Playing for the Maple Leafs (2024–present)

On 1 July 2024, Oliver signed a four-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. On 13 November, he played his 1,000th NHL game, which is a big achievement for any player.

Playing for Sweden

Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Men's ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Silver	2014 Sochi
World Championships
Gold	2017 Germany/France
Gold	2018 Denmark
Silver	2011 Slovakia
Bronze	2010 Germany
World Junior Championships
Bronze	2010 Canada

Oliver has proudly represented Sweden in many international tournaments. At the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he was the top-scoring defenceman for his team.

He also played for the senior team at the 2010 IIHF World Championship, where they won a bronze medal. In 2019, he was named captain of Sweden's team for the 2019 IIHF World Championship.

Oliver's Life Outside Hockey

Oliver comes from a family of athletes. His grandfather, Kenneth Ekman, also played defenceman in ice hockey and represented Sweden in the 1972 Winter Olympics. His cousin, Amanda Ilestedt, is a professional footballer for Sweden. His younger brother, Kevin, also played hockey.

In 2013, Oliver started his own clothing line called OEL in Sweden. He also spends a lot of his free time helping different charities. He has supported groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Wounded Warrior Project. In 2019, he helped make a special day for a young cancer patient, Leighton Arcardo, by inviting her to be part of the Coyotes team.

Oliver has a son named Leo Phoenix Ekman-Larsson. Leo's name comes from Oliver's nickname, OEL, and Phoenix is a nod to the city where he started his NHL career.

Amazing Records

• Most game-winning goals by a defenceman in a single NHL season – 8 goals
• First Swedish-born defenceman in NHL history to score more than 20 goals in a single season – 23 goals
• Fastest shorthanded goal to begin a period in NHL history – 5 seconds
• Most powerplay goals by a defenceman in Arizona Coyotes franchise history – 41 goals
• Most goals by a defenceman in Arizona Coyotes franchise history – 128 goals

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009	Sweden	U18	5th		6	2	6	8	2
2010	Sweden	WJC			6	2	3	5	12
2010	Sweden	WC			9	1	2	3	2
2011	Sweden	WC			7	1	3	4	2
2014	Sweden	OG			6	0	3	3	2
2015	Sweden	WC	5th		8	2	10	12	6
2016	Sweden	WCH			4	0	0	0	4
2017	Sweden	WC			8	2	3	5	2
2018	Sweden	WC			10	2	5	7	4
2019	Sweden	WC	5th		8	3	5	8	4
2022	Sweden	WC	6th		6	0	2	2	4
Junior totals					12	4	9	13	14
Senior totals					66	11	33	44	30

Awards and Honours