Coyotes Depth Deepened by Larsson Acquisition

Another day, another deal for Bill Armstrong. The Coyotes General Manager locked in free agent forward Johan Larsson to a two-year contract Saturday night.
Larsson, 28, is coming off perhaps his best NHL season in 2019-20. His statistics bear that out. Larsson scored six goals and registered 18 points over 62 games in the 2019-20 pandemic-shortened season, topping his previous high of 17 points in 2017-18.
General Manager Bill Armstrong has stressed the need to add pop, power, and size to the team's third and fourth lines. Larsson, who stands 5'11" and 204, fits the mold.
"He is a hard-working, reliable, two-way center who can play in all situations," Armstrong said of the Coyotes' latest addition.

Larsson, who spent the previous seven-plus seasons in the Sabres organization, believes his style of play matches the identity the Coyotes are seeking.
"I think the potential of the team is very high," Larsson said. "They had a decent year last year and they want to be better. I had a good talk as to how they see me as a player, the kind of player I am, and where I'm going to fit in and things like that. Those were the feelings I had, and I went with that."
Larsson prides himself on being a two-way forward, as a reliable asset in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill.
"I think I've always been a team player," Larsson said. "Taking the role that's given and always kind of being the team-first guy. I always kind of fit in with every team and given my best. So, it's been a natural thing for me. Feeling welcome and fitting in has never been a problem."
As Larsson acclimates to the Coyotes and the desert, he will benefit from the company of two fellow countrymen. Larsson played on the Swedish National Team with Niklas Hjalmarsson during the 2012 IIHF World Championships; he won a gold medal with Oliver Ekman-Larsson at the 2018 IIHF World Championships.
"I think when you have a Swedish guy, or someone you know on the team, it always helps you," Larsson said. "When you come in as a new guy, it's always good to have a countryman with you, maybe even more so when you're younger. But still, it always helps to speak the same language. Everything around you gets a little easier."

In addition to teammates Ekman-Larsson and Hjalmarsson, Larsson is also familiar with Coyotes assistant coach Phil Housley, who served as the Sabres' head coach from 2017-19.
"It's always good to know someone on the coaching staff that can teach you and help you know the system," Larsson added. "And it's easier when you know the person."
Any familiarity will help. His arrival in Arizona will mark his first change in scenery since 2013, when he was acquired by Sabres at the trade deadline.
"I've been in Buffalo a long time," Larsson said. "So, it's definitely going to be a little weird. But at the same time, it's a new opportunity for me. It's a chance to come somewhere else and have other eyes on you, to see some new environments. It could be good for me."
Larsson said he felt the strength of Armstrong's passion during their discussions.
"The way he wanted me to come down there and really want to win," Larsson noted. "It was just the passion he had. He said 'We want to build and be a really, really good team.' Where he comes from, he knows."

Lead Photo Credit: Norm Hall - NHLI via Getty Images // Second Photo Credit: Bill Wippert - NHLI via Getty Images // Footer Photo Credit: Bill Wippert - NHLI via Getty Images