Ekman-Larsson was already playing in a men's league when the Phoenix Coyotes selected him with the No. 6 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. He played the 2008-09 season with Leksands of the Swedish second division and had 17 points in 39 games at age 17, the most points in the league by any player 18 or younger. He played one more season with Leksands, and had 27 points, to lead all teenage players in Sweden's second division prior to moving to North America for the 2010-11 season.

Ekman-Larsson split that season between the Coyotes and San Antonio of the American Hockey League and scored one goal and 11 points in 48 NHL games. He made his NHL debut Oct. 9, 2010 against the Boston Bruins with one assist against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 23, 2011 for his first NHL point. Larsson scored his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 17, 2011, part of a three-game point streak.

He played all 82 games for the Coyotes in 2011-12, scoring 13 goals and 32 points, and was second on the team in time on ice per game (22:07) and blocked shots (92) and third in hits (140).

Ekman-Larsson made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Chicago Blackhawks on April 12, 2012, skating a team-high 31:14.

With 24 points in 48 games during the 2012-13 season, Ekman-Larsson led the Coyotes with 21 assists and time on ice per game (25:06). Displaying his versatility, Ekman-Larsson topped the Coyotes in shorthanded time on ice per game (3:01) and was second in power-play time on ice (3:40).

Ekman-Larsson scored 15 goals in 2013-14, sixth among NHL defensemen. He tied for first at the position with Matt Niskanen of the Pittsburgh Penguins in game-winning goals (six). His average time on ice per game of 25:54 was sixth.

He scored 23 goals in 2014-15 to tie Phil Housley's Coyotes record for goals by a defenseman in one season. Ekman-Larsson led NHL defensemen in goals, game-winning goals (seven) and power-play goals (10). Picked to play in the NHL All-Star Game, he established an NHL record for most goals in a season by a Sweden-born defenseman and scored his 20th game-winning goal against the New York Islanders on Dec. 19, 2015 to break Teppo Numminen's Coyotes record for defensemen.

Ekman-Larsson signed an eight-year contract extension with the Coyotes on July 1, 2018. On Sept. 13, he was named the fourth Coyotes captain since the franchise moved to Arizona from Winnipeg in 1996. He broke another of Numminen's records by scoring his 109th goal, the most in Coyotes history by a defenseman, against the Dallas Stars on Feb. 4, 2019.

However, after playing his first 11 NHL seasons with Arizona, Ekman-Larsson was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with forward Conor Garland on July 23, 2021.

Ekman-Larsson won silver medals with Sweden at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and 2011 IIHF World Championship, and bronze at the 2010 World Junior and World Championship.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• Played in NHL All-Star Game (2015, 2018)
• Traded to Vancouver by Arizona with Conor Garland for Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel, a 1st-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft, a 2nd-round pick in 2022 NHL Draft and a 7th-round pick in 2023 NHL Draft, July 23, 2021.