Oliver Ekman-Larsson Is Turning Back the Clock-and Turning Heads in Toronto
When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the move came with its fair share of raised eyebrows. At 34 years old, with a history of injuries and a career that seemed to be trending downward after stints in Arizona, Vancouver, and a brief resurgence in Florida, the signing felt like a gamble. But nearly halfway through the 2025-26 season, it’s safe to say: the Leafs are cashing in.
Ekman-Larsson isn’t just surviving in Toronto-he’s thriving. Through 48 games this season, he’s already posted 31 points.
That’s more than he put up in 77 games last year, and he’s on pace for his best offensive output since the 2018-19 season with the Coyotes. But this isn’t just about numbers.
It’s about presence. It’s about leadership.
And it’s about the kind of two-way play that has quietly become one of the Leafs’ most reliable assets.
A Veteran Backbone on the Blue Line
What’s made Ekman-Larsson’s season so impressive isn’t just the offensive resurgence-it’s the complete game he’s bringing night in and night out. Whether he’s playing on his natural left side or switching over to the right, whether he’s paired with a veteran or a younger partner, he’s been rock-solid.
Craig Berube, never one to hand out praise lightly, made that clear after the Leafs’ dramatic 4-3 comeback win over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Ekman-Larsson had a goal and two assists in that one, finishing the night with a plus-four rating-something he’s only done once before in his 1,100-plus-game NHL career.
“He’s been good all year,” Berube said postgame. “He had a really good game tonight from a points standpoint, but all year, he’s been solid-defensively, offensively, and in all of the things we ask him to do.
He’s playing with different partners most of the year, and he’s playing the left side or the right side. He’s a real good pro.
He gives us a lot every night.”
That kind of versatility and dependability is exactly what Toronto needed on a blue line that has often been the subject of scrutiny. Ekman-Larsson’s ability to stabilize defensive pairings, contribute on the power play, and still log big minutes speaks to just how valuable he’s become in Berube’s system.
Olympic Recognition-and Deservedly So
Ekman-Larsson’s resurgence hasn’t gone unnoticed beyond Toronto. He’s been named to Team Sweden for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-a nod not just to his pedigree, but to the way he’s elevated his game this season.
It’s a testament to how far he’s come since those injury-riddled final years in Arizona and Vancouver. In Toronto, he’s missed just five games total, and none this season. Even when he did take a knock earlier in the year, he gutted it out and returned to finish the game, nearly leading the Leafs to a comeback win against the Golden Knights.
That kind of toughness doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but it resonates in the locker room. It’s the kind of thing that helps shift a team’s identity-from one that’s long been defined by flash and finesse to one that’s learning how to grind out wins and stay resilient when the going gets tough.
Silencing the Doubters
There were plenty of skeptics when the Leafs brought in Ekman-Larsson. Some questioned the wisdom of adding another aging piece to a roster already leaning on veterans. But so far, he’s proving them wrong in every possible way.
He’s not just filling a role-he’s elevating it. He’s showing that even after years of adversity, you can still find another gear. And in doing so, he’s helping Toronto navigate a season that’s had its share of ups and downs, turning what could’ve been a lost year into one with real playoff promise.
Ekman-Larsson might not be the flashiest name in the league anymore, but make no mistake-he’s playing like a top-pair defenseman. And for a Leafs team searching for stability and leadership on the back end, he’s been exactly what they needed.
So yes, he deserves his flowers. Because this version of OEL? He’s not just back-he’s better.