Ekman-Larsson set to face Canucks for 1st time since signing with Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Oliver Ekman-Larsson has found a home with the Florida Panthers.

On Saturday, the defenseman will get a reminder of his previous NHL stop, facing the Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, SNP) for the first time since having the final four years of his contract bought out June 16.

“It’s always special, right? Going against guys you battled on the ice with,” Ekman-Larsson said after practice Friday. “It is special and will feel a little weird. But when the game starts, all of that sort of goes away.”

The Canucks acquired Ekman-Larsson in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on July 23, 2021.

Things did not go as either side had hoped in 2021-22, and a broken left foot sustained following the season affected everything he did last season.

A second injury to the same foot in February ended his season early and led to the Canucks buying out the remained of the contract he signed with the Coyotes on July 1, 2018.

“I feel a lot different,” he said. “I [have] had since last February to prepare for this season, and I skated a lot this summer. It was nice to get that time to heal and focus on the things I needed to focus on.”

The 32-year-old signed a one-year contract with the Panthers on July 1 and, now healthy, has been given plenty of responsibility with his new team. Ekman-Larsson is part of Florida’s top pair with Gustav Forsling and runs the top power-play unit.

“They have made it pretty easy on me to come in here and just be myself," Ekman-Larsson said. “I have been able to just have some fun with it.”

Ekman-Larsson, who has 441 points (136 goals, 305 assists) in 906 NHL games with the Coyotes, Canucks and Panthers, comes into Saturday with points in his past two games after scoring his first goal of the season Thursday in a 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The veteran is also averaging a team-high 25:30 of ice time through four games in his 14th NHL season -- the second highest average of his NHL career and his highest since averaging 25:54 in 2012-13 with the Coyotes.

“It’s good for him,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “He was injured the entire time [in Vancouver]. I had Dmitry Kulikov in Winnipeg, and he had a back injury at the time, and he looks completely different now. … The same for Oliver. This was the first summer where he could actually train and was not rehabbing from an injury where you are behind the eight ball when it comes to training camp. He is in good shape. He had a lot of months off and built off it.

“This guy is a good player, and everyone knew that. From being bought out, we could fit him in. But this guy is an elite player.”