The Vancouver Canucks made the tough decision to buy out defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson recently and will bite the bullet of paying him for the next eight years in order to not have his entire cap hit on the books. Now, he will unexpectedly enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent. If the Washington Capitals want a player with leadership that can maintain solid play on the ice, he’s their guy.
Related: Capitals 2023 Free Agent Targets: Niko Mikkola
The Capitals need to seriously improve their blue line if they want any chance of being a playoff team next season. Their lack of defensive structure last season cost them an opportunity at a wildcard spot late in the year and when there were shades of strong play, there was never enough consistency to believe the team could go deep into the playoffs.
Looking at the positives, the Capitals will select eighth overall in what is being considered one of the strongest draft classes in recent history. If the team doesn’t decide to select a defenseman that will be on the team sooner rather than later, they’ll have to make a splash in free agency and Ekman-Larsson is a solid player with lots left to give, and now a lot to prove.
Who is Ekman-Larsson & How Does He Benefit the Capitals?
Ekman-Larsson is a 31-year-old left-shot defenseman from Karlskrona, Sweden who most recently played for the Canucks. He was drafted in the first round at sixth overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He has since only played for the Coyotes and Canucks, notably being traded by the Coyotes along with Conor Garland in exchange for the ninth-overall draft pick that selected Dylan Guenther amongst other assets.
Ekman-Larsson has 902 NHL games under his belt, having scored 135 goals and adding 304 assists for 439 points which comes out to a 0.49 points-per-game average. He played his junior career in the HockeyAllSvenskan league playing with Leksands IF where over two seasons, he scored 12 goals and added 32 assists for 44 points through 81 games which comes out to a 0.54 points-per-game average.
Ekman Larsson is a highly skilled defenseman blessed with excellent hockey sense and impressive skating ability. He moves very smoothly and has incredible mobility. Also, he is very skilled with the puck and a capable playmaker with the potential to put up a good amount of points. Very poised and cool with and without the puck and rarely gets caught off guard.
– Elite Prospects (Oliver Ekman-Larsson Profile)
Ekman-Larsson would bring exactly what the Capitals want, an improvement on the blue line. His ability to play a solid two-way game has stood out to fans across the league, which will have quite a few teams interested in his services when July 1 comes around. His defensive strength doesn’t take a hit when he decides to jump up in the play, and his consistency from game to game and season to season as a solid defender will be what intrigues teams the most.
His ability to put up a solid amount of points while staying sound defensively is something the Capitals need next season. While their focus is on defensive play, bringing in a player that can do both wouldn’t hurt.
What Would It Cost the Capitals?
While he won’t be getting quite what he earned on his last contract, Ekman-Larsson will still get a good chunk of money to play in the NHL next season. Just because he was bought out doesn’t make him a bad player, it just means the Canucks were in a spot where it made more sense to get rid of him and make room for younger guys than keep him.
I think the Capitals would end up paying $1.75-2.15 million a season over two or three years to retain Ekman-Larsson’s services. He’ll have a few teams interested in him, but why not come to a team that will be more successful next season and is close to being a contender again, while playing a bigger role? I think the Caps have a good chance of winning the bidding war, while still bringing him in at a good price.