News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson suffered an undisclosed injury in Saturday's game against the Blackhawks, but is expected to play Monday against the Red Wings, the Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson played sparingly in the third period and sat out overtime. Little is known about the injury that was suffered, but it seems minor as Ekman-Larsson is not expected to miss any time as he will play in Monday's game against the Red Wings.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson signed a six-year contract extension with the Coyotes on Friday.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson's play over the past three seasons has justified the Coyotes' decision to take him with the sixth overall pick in 2009. He's put up 60 points (17G, 43A) and 70 penalty minutes in 157 games in the NHL, and at just 21 years of age, Ekman-Larsson appears to have a bright future in the game.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson picked up a pair of assists Monday as the Coyotes defeated the Ducks 5-4 in a shootout.
Analysis: OEL also had the game-winning, fifth-frame shootout goal for Phoenix. The young blueliner has 16 points in 22 games this season, with three goals. That's good for fourth-most points among NHL defensemen, and in combination with his plus-11 rating, makes the young Swede one of the top blueliners in the fantasy game.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson picked up a pair of helpers against the Flames on Monday. He was also a plus-3 and saw 21:16 of ice time.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson now has 10 points, three goals and seven assists, in 16 games. He is becoming a bigger part of Phoenix's plans, and already is a solid contributor from the blue line despite being only 21.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson found his offensive game Monday, snapping home a shot late in the third period that tied the game at two. The Coyotes went on to win in overtime, 3-2.
Analysis: The goal marked OEL's first points since a two-assist effort Feb. 1. Despite the four-game cold streak, the young blueliner has eight points through the team's first 13 games.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson assisted on two of Phoenix's goals in Friday's 4-3 shootout loss to Dallas, giving him seven points in the last six games.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been a steady dog this season, factoring into much of Phoenix's scoring and shows little signs of slowing down. At just 21-years old, OEL figures to to be a consistent player for years to come in the desert, or wherever Phoenix ends up.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a pair of goals and an assist in Wednesday's win over Columbus.
Analysis: After being held off the score sheet in the Coyotes' first two games, Oliver Ekman-Larsson made a mark Wednesday and could be positioned for another significant step forward in his offensive production. As a 21-year-old, there may be bouts of inconsistency, but he has the tools to exceed the 20-point plateau over the course of the shortened season.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who returned to Arizona to have a bone bruise on his foot examined, said the injury "feels better now, and I'm ready to go." He participated in Tuesday's group skate and is expected to be ready for the team's opener, the Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson spent 20 games with the Coyotes' AHL affiliate in Portland, scoring 21 points over that period.
Ekman-Larsson Returns To Coyotes; Suffers Minor Foot Bruise
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson took a puck to the foot and will be looked at by team doctors, though he's "expected to be fine," Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: The report adds that the "team doesn't think the bone bruise is serious" and that the Coyotes wanted to get their standout young blueliner back in the Valley as soon as possible.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson added a goal and an assist to boost the AHL's Portland Pirates to a 4-2 win Friday.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson now has 19 points on the season. "He's just an elite player," coach Ray Edwards said of the young blueliner. "He's just above and beyond. The talent level, the character he brings, the competitive level he brings every night, it's really nice for the young players to see how he works, and how he competes."
Coyotes' OEL Continues To Add Spark From Blue Line
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson has 14 points (5G, 9A) in 14 games to go along with a plus-4 rating, 20 PIMs and 49 shots on goal.
Analysis: OEL is easily one of the best young blue line talents in the NHL, so it's not surprising that he's contributing offense at a point-per-game pace in the AHL.
Coyotes' Ekman-Larsson Finding Offensive Groove In AHL
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson added two assists during Portland's 4-0 win Wednesday.
Analysis: OEL now has seven points in five games and is demonstrating the offensive prowess that makes him one of the best young blue line talents in the game. Oliver Ekman-Larsson did leave the game after an fall into the boards, but was able to return.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson tallied his first goal of the season during Saturday's loss to the Adirondack Phantoms.
Analysis: It's good to see Phoenix's most talented young blueliner keep his skills sharp in the AHL during the lockout. OEL, who notched 32 points (13 goals) in 82 games last season, will be a key cog in Phoenix when and if the lockout ends.
News: The Coyotes assigned Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the Portland Pirates of the AHL ahead of the impending NHL lockout, Chris Roy of the Maine Hockey Journal reports.
Analysis: The move will allow OEL to keep his skills sharp during the work stoppage. If and when the Coyotes drop the puck this season, Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be a key piece on the blue line.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson tallied his first career playoff goal in the Coyotes' 4-0 win over the Blackhawks on Monday, sending Phoenix to the second round.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson's second period power-play goal from the blue line would eventually stand as the game-winning goal. The score came after the Coyotes weathered an incredible offensive storm from Chicago through much of the first two periods, heading into the third period with a stunning 28-8 SOG differential. The Coyotes scored on 20 percent of their shots Monday night.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored a goal and had an assist Monday against Nashville. He was also a plus-3.
Analysis: These were Oliver Ekman-Larsson's first points in six games, and he's still a minus-1 on the season. Still, his eight goals on the season are probably a lot more than many people expected.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson opened the scoring Saturday, staking the Coyotes to a 1-0 lead in the first period.
Analysis: The goal marked OEL's first score since Jan. 7. He has eight scores and 15 assists on the season.
News: Coach Dave Tippett praised Oliver Ekman-Larsson's recent success from the blue line, noting that his contributions aren't "always on the scoreboard. It's other ways, a commitment to blocking shots or doing what you have to do to be successful."
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson's efforts were rewarded when he recorded a career-high six blocked shots Feb. 4 in a win against San Jose. OEL has two points in his last five games and 21 points (7G, 14A) on the season.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored a goal and added an assist in Saturday's win over the Islanders.
Analysis: He's been up and down in terms of offensive production this year but that is to be expected for a 20-year-old. He does have 17 points in 42 games and is poised to crack 30 this season. That makes him valuable in some deep points leagues.
Coyotes' Ekman-Larsson Tallies Goal And Helper Thursday
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson chipped in with a goal and an assist during Thursday's 4-1 win over the Oilers.
Analysis: It was a victory the Coyotes desperately needed after dropping three straight decisions while mustering a paltry four goals over the losing streak. Oliver Ekman-Larsson now has 11 points (5G, 6A) and should top his career-high of 20.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson got his fifth goal of the year and added an assist in the Coyotes' 4-2 win over the Ducks on Wednesday night. It was his second two-point game of the season.
Analysis: He now ranks fourth amongst NHL defenseman in goals, but only has four assists to his name. The promising sophomore is showing significant signs of improvement this year and has almost surpassed his point totals for all of last year when he had a goal and 10 assists in 48 games.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored his first goal in a month, snagging a tally in Tuesday's shootout win over Toronto.
Analysis:Oliver Ekman-Larsson started off the season strong, with three goals in under two weeks, but he has been relatively quiet of late with just three points in the last month.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson led the Coyotes to a 4-1 win over the Jets on Saturday night. He scored twice, including the game-winner.
Analysis: This kid is immensely talented and has three goals in the Coyotes' first four games. He's owned in every keeper league and is quickly getting snapped up in even shallow single-year formats. The future is bright.
News:Oliver Ekman-Larsson has had a solid start to the 2011 season, the Arizona Republic reports.The former first-rounder has tallied one goal, a minus-2 rating, three hits, and a game-high five blocked shots through three contests this season.
Analysis: Coach Dave Tippett praised Oliver Ekman-Larsson for his gritty play so far, noting that he's been much more assertive than in years past. On a team with out a lot of superstars, there's room for him to grow quickly.
News: The Coytoes recalled Ekman-Larsson from AHL San Antonio on Tuesday, the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Ekman-Larsson appeared in 48 games with the Coyotes this season, recording a goal and 10 assists. He'll give Phoenix a little extra blue-line depth in the playoffs.
News: Ekman-Larsson was sent to the AHL on Thursday, Coyotes.NHL.com reports.
Analysis: Ekman-Larsson has been fairly promising in his first NHL year, putting up 11 points and a plus-3 rating while averaging about 15 minutes per game in 48 appearances. But only one of those points occurred since January ended, so he might have hit a bit of a wall lately.
News: The Coyotes recalled Ekman-Larsson on Tuesday, the team's official website reports.
Analysis: Ekman-Larsson handed out four assists in 15 games with the Coyotes earlier this season. He will resume his role as a reserve defenseman.
News: Ekman-Larsson was sent back to San Antonio (AHL) on Wednesday, the Coyotes' official site reports.
Analysis: The former first-round pick has had a limited impact in Phoenix through 15 games, but he's one to file away for later rather than a blueliner to hold onto in hopes of getting something from him in the near future.
