When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a low-risk, four-year deal during the summer of 2024, expectations were modest. The veteran defender was coming off a buyout in Vancouver, followed by a depth role in Florida. Many viewed it as little more than an attempt to plug a roster hole.
During the early stages through the 2025–26 season, that narrative has completely flipped. Not only has Ekman-Larsson revived his career, but he has also emerged as Toronto’s most reliable defenceman, and one of the most important players on the roster.
A stunning bounce-back season
Ekman-Larsson’s resurgence isn’t luck. He arrived in Toronto healthy, motivated, and finally utilized in situations that match his strengths. With injuries to Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, OEL was thrust into the top four minutes earlier than expected, and he has responded with the best hockey he has played in years.
He has already produced 20+ points, extended his career-best point streak, and logged heavy minutes against top competition. But the resurgence goes beyond offence. Ekman-Larsson’s gap control, stick work, and transition play have been essential stabilizers on a Leafs blue line that has battled inconsistency and injuries.
He is no longer the player who struggled under the weight of a massive contract in Vancouver. He’s lighter, faster, and far more confident.
A perfect fit for Craig Berube’s system
Craig Berube demands structure, discipline, and clean puck movement from his defencemen, and Ekman-Larsson has embraced that blueprint completely. He doesn’t try to do too much; he supports the play instead of forcing it, and he keeps the game predictable for his partner.
What stands out most is his calmness. Whether he’s shutting down a cycle, killing a penalty, or making a first pass under pressure, he has brought the exact steadiness Toronto lacked last season. With Morgan Rielly still contributing more offensively than defensively, OEL has become the counterbalance that a defender Berube trusts in all situations.
There’s a reason the coaching staff keeps leaning on him in crucial defensive minutes. His game fits the system like a glove.
A contract that looks better every day
When Toronto signed Ekman-Larsson at $3.5 million AAV, it was considered a reasonable but unexciting deal. Today, it looks like one of the best value contracts on the Leafs’ roster.
Top-four defencemen who can play 20+ minutes, contribute offensively, and maintain defensive stability rarely come this cheap. Considering the Leafs’ cap situation and long-held blue line issues, OEL’s contract has become a massive advantage. And with one more season remaining, he isn’t just a temporary fix, he’s part of Toronto’s medium-term core.
From question mark to cornerstone
Few players in the NHL have reinvented themselves as successfully as Oliver Ekman-Larsson has in Toronto. Once viewed as a declining veteran, he has transformed into a leader, a steadying force, and one of the engines behind the Leafs’ defensive improvement.
He’s not just reviving his career; he’s helping reshape the identity of the Maple Leafs.
And for a team with postseason ambitions, OEL might be one of the biggest reasons this season feels different.