Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson played his 1000th game in the NHL and spoke about the emotions pregame.
The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off an incredible comeback to beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 on Wednesday night. While for most players it was a regular game, it was special for one defenseman. Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Maple Leafs spoke about the emotions before he played his 1000th game, per Dave McCarthy of NHL.com.
“You dream about playing one game in this league, and here I am 15 years later,” Ekman-Larsson said. “You feel very fortunate that you’ve got a chance to play for a long time. It’s not easy to stick in this league, so it’s a lot of work that goes into it. You have to approach it like finding a way to get better each day, work on your game every single day, and have that drive where you want to get better because that’s how you have a long career.”
Ekman-Larsson has had a fascinating career, which included being the most underrated and most overpaid player in the league. He was drafted in the top ten by the Coyotes and starred for a team that went nowhere. As he continued to shine, trade conversations picked up. He was traded to the Canucks after he was given a big contract.
The Cabucks bought him out of that contract, he went to the Panthers and then the Maple Leafs picked him up. As his career winds down, Toronto is a great fit.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson can help Maple Leafs in the playoffs
The story of this Maple Leafs core is failure in the playoffs. They have only won one first-round series in Auston Matthews' career and have never advanced to the Conference Final. While Ekman-Larsson spent most of his career with the Coyotes, he got some great playoff experience last season.
The veteran was one of the key pieces of the Florida Panthers' run to the Stanley Cup last year. While the Maple Leafs have veteran pieces, very few have won a championship. Ekman-Larsson brings that leadership to the team which will be key come playoff time. Unlike previous attempts at filling this role like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, Ekman-Larsson is still a solid defender.
With 1000 games played in the NHL, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is one of the best veteran defensemen in the league. The Maple Leafs used his great play to come back against the Capitals and will continue to do so for the entire season.
