Canucks' Ekman-Larsson a healthy scratch vs. Lightning

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson did not take warmups and will be a healthy scratch when his team takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday.

It's the first time Ekman-Larsson will be a healthy scratch since March 29, 2011 — 4,307 days ago.

Earlier Thursday, head coach Bruce Boudreau said the possibility of Ekman-Larsson being healthy-scratched was "potentially true." The question was quickly posed to Boudreau after the defenceman was spotted on the Canucks' fourth defence pairing with Kyle Burroughs at the morning skate.

"Look, we have to scratch a couple players. I think he can be better, but I think there's a lot of guys that can be better. I mean, it's about accountability. It's about a lot of things," said Boudreau. "It's something you don't want to do. He's arguably our best defenceman, but sometimes you just have to do what you think is best for the team at that moment — and that's apparently where I am."

As the Canucks have struggled throughout the first half of the season, unsurprisingly, the team's blue-line has also struggled.

Playing in every game to this point, Ekman-Larsson has been on the ice for a team-high 57 goals. In the Canucks' last two games alone, the defenceman was on for seven goals.

With another four seasons to go on his eight-year, $66-million contract (with a no-movement clause) the Arizona Coyotes signed him to, Ekman-Larsson has received mixed reviews from the Canucks' fanbase since day one.

The team acquired Ekman-Larsson — and his significant contract — during the 2021 offseason when the Canucks sent Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel and the No. 9 pick at the 2021 NHL Draft to the Coyotes. Vancouver also received forward Conor Garland.