Veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has revealed that his instincts played a crucial role in his decision to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer.
Ekman-Larsson stated, “I am a guy that always tries to go with my gut feeling, and when Toronto showed interest, I got that feeling that this is what I wanted to do and this is what we wanted to do as a family,” in an interview with GoPHNX.com’s Craig Morgan.
The defenseman expressed his admiration for playing in Toronto’s arena, noting, “I’ve always liked coming in there as an away team, playing in that building. It’s always special.” He added, “Obviously, there’s a lot of history in the organization and I feel like they have a really good team that has a chance to do something special as well. I think it’s a good fit.”
On July 1, the Maple Leafs and Ekman-Larsson finalized a four-year, $14-million contract. This move came shortly after Ekman-Larsson contributed to the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory.
Prior to this, Ekman-Larsson had signed a one-year deal with the Panthers for the 2023-24 season, following the buyout of his previous contract by the Vancouver Canucks. During his time with the Panthers, he recorded 32 points in 80 games and added two goals and four assists in the playoffs.
In addition to Ekman-Larsson, the Maple Leafs also signed defenseman Chris Tanev this offseason to enhance their defensive lineup under new head coach Craig Berube.
