Subj : No Surprises - Ekman-Larsson Is Next Coyotes Captain
To : All
From : The Hockey Writers
Date : Fri Sep 14 2018 08:48 am
We';ve all assumed this day was coming since the team parted ways with Shane
Doan on June 19, 2017, but, at media day on Thursday, the Arizona Coyotes made
it official.
Eight-year NHL veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who currently is the
longest-tenured member of the team, is the next Captain Coyote. When the puck
drops in Anaheim on Oct. 4, 'OEL'; will become the fourth man to wear the 'C';
since the team moved to Arizona prior to the 1996-97 NHL season.Oliver
Ekman-Larsson will be the next captain of the Arizona Coyotes (Charles
LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports).
The 27-year-old Ekman-Larsson succeeds Keith Tkachuk, Teppo Numminen, and, of
course, Doan, in captaining the 'Yotes. The three former Coyotes all were among
the league';s best at their positions during their captaincies, so it';s safe
to say that Ekman-Larsson has big shoes to fill, especially as the successor to
Doan. However, it';s clear that OEL will have the full support of his
predecessors, as all three wished Ekman-Larsson well as he embarks upon the
next chapter of his career in Arizona:
You're joining a legendary lineup of captains, @OEL23.
Keith Tkachuk, Teppo Numminen, and Shane Doan have a few words for you:
pic.twitter.com/SsWMQ9fNNd
- Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) September 13, 2018
Coyotes Had an Easy Choice
There really was no other person that the captaincy could or should have gone
to in Arizona. One could have made a case for Max Domi, who became a fan
favorite in just three seasons with the franchise, but his candidacy obviously
ended when he was shipped off to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Alex
Galchenyuk back on June 15.Oliver Ekman-Larsson has stood out amongst his peers
for most of his career in Arizona. (Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)
Derek Stepan, Alex Goligoski, or Niklas Hjalmarsson also would have been good
choices based on their tenure in the league and previous experiences as
alternate captains, but none of them have been in Arizona in times good and
times bad like Ekman-Larsson has. Just like Doan, Ekman-Larsson was here during
the dark days of bankruptcy and league ownership, and he';s also been present
during the recent ownership turmoil. From the near-sale to Greg Jamison and the
days of Glendale City Council meetings with Anthony LeBlanc and IceArizona, to
the current Andrew Barroway era, Ekman-Larsson has seen it all.
Additionally, OEL is the last remaining player from Arizona';s 2012 Western
Conference Final squad, and, as such, is the only player on the team who has
experienced what it';s like to play postseason games on home ice at Gila River
Arena. He';s the perfect choice to lead the next generation of young Coyotes
back to the playoffs.More Exposure for OEL?
Ekman-Larsson has struggled a bit to garner league-wide attention so far during
his career, but adding 'Captain of the Arizona Coyotes'; to his resume should
help matters significantly.
Despite already establishing himself as one of the league';s best all-around
defenseman, Ekman-Larsson has yet to finish any higher than seventh in the
annual Norris Trophy voting, and the Swede has been an All-Star on only two
occasions. Granted, it is much more difficult to be named to an All-Star team
these days due to the 3-on-3 format and its smaller rosters, but it';s
definitely surprising that Ekman-Larsson hasn';t received more Norris Trophy
consideration during his career, especially when one takes a gander at the
numbers.Oliver Ekman-Larsson excels in overtime, where he';s scored six
game-winners over the last four seasons. (Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)
Since the 2014-15 campaign, Ekman-Larsson leads all NHL defensemen in power
play goals (36), game-winning goals (19), and overtime goals (6), and ranks
second behind only longtime San Jose Shark Brent Burns in goalscoring from the
blue line with 70 markers. He also trails only brand-new Shark Erik Karlsson in
power play time-on-ice per game and ranks in the top 10 in shots on goal and
power-play points as well. OEL is no slouch in the defensive zone, either -
he';s averaged 1:40 of shorthanded time-on-ice per game over the last four
seasons and plays against the opposition';s best night in and night out.
Simply put, Oliver Ekman-Larsson can do it all, and he deserves to wear the
'C'; in Arizona.
The post No Surprises - Ekman-Larsson Is Next Coyotes Captain appeared first on
The Hockey Writers.
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