It appears defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has found his next hockey home with the Florida Panthers. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the 31-year-old unrestricted free agent is signing a one-year deal worth $2.25 million when free agency opens.
Ekman-Larsson was a surprise addition to the UFA market after having the final four years of his eight-year contract bought out by the Vancouver Canucks in mid-June. The rearguard, once regarded as an offensive force, has struggled to hit his stride since signing his big-money extension with the Arizona Coyotes, which carried an $8.25 cap hit. Those struggles continued in Vancouver, where he spent the past two seasons following a trade.
In Florida, he gets a fresh start with lower stakes contract-wise, and fills an important early-season gap as the Panthers try to patch up their blue line in the wake of some significant injuries. It's expected they'll be without stars Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour to open the season after both players suffered injuries in the playoffs during the club's run to the Stanley Cup Final.
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