In a season where the Maple Leafs’ offence has been up and down, the Leafs have gotten reliable scoring game in and game out from someone you may not expect. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been a name that has stuck out to many. The Swedish defenceman sits fifth in Maple Leafs scoring this season with 28 points in 47 games. This finds Ekman-Larsson within the top 25 in the NHL. He has been a player who has carried the load for the Maple Leafs offensively this season from the backend. The Swedish defenceman, due to his play, was named to Team Sweden for the 2026 Olympics in just over a month.
Risk-free signings
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has revived his career since joining the Maple Leafs for the 2024-25 season. After being bought out by the Vancouver Canucks he signed a one-year risk-free deal with the Florida Panthers. During his one-year run with the Panthers, where they won the Stanley Cup, he quarterbacked the top power-play unit and was a massive player in their Stanley Cup run. The Panthers later did not have the money to bring back OEL, which led the Maple Leafs to sign him to a four-year deal, where we have seen him thrive.
This pass by Oliver Ekman-Larsson will not be talked about enough.
— Jacob Pacheco (@JacobPacheco6) January 13, 2026
Look at how small of a gap OEL has to get that right on the tape to Nylander right underneath Cale Makar's stick. This is just unreal. He's been so good. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/13o0SqhgiT
A much-needed two-way defenceman, the Leafs have needed
Ekman-Larsson has been able to produce some much-needed offence from the backend. In the Matthews era, the Maple Leafs have lacked a defenceman who can contribute on both ends of the ice. Morgan Rielly has always been a player who is able to generate offence, but for the majority of his career, he has been labelled as a defensive liability, which has been highlighted this season. While Ekman-Larsson isn’t someone who will shut down opponents’ top players, he can play serviceable minutes and be counted on to play well in their own end.
The Maple Leafs have struggled to score at times this season, including when their stars have not been firing on all cylinders. Having Ekman-Larsson being able to score some big goals and generate plays offensively has gone a long way for the Maple Leafs this season, and it would be tough to imagine where they would sit without this Swedish defenceman. The Maple Leafs are hoping for some similar success heading into the second half of the year, but it would be very hard to imagine the Maple Leafs asking for more.