Should the St. Louis Blues consider Oliver Ekman-Larsson?

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the longtime Arizona Coyotes captain, is coming off a championship win as a member of the Florida Panthers.

At 32 years outdated, Ekman-Larsson has the veteran management of an excellent defenseman and loads of expertise.

In a complete season of play with the Florida Panthers, Ekman-Larsson performed fairly properly.

2023-24: 80 video games, 9 objectives, 23 assists, 32 factors, 18:23 TOI.

He’s considered one of many free-agents from Florida, becoming a member of fellow defenseman Brandon Montour with an expiring contract.

Most hockey pundits predict that Montour is ready to depart Florida for a heavy payday. If this happens, anticipate Florida to signal Ekman-Larsson as his alternative for the following few seasons.

Regardless, there’s nonetheless a risk to pursue Ekman-Larsson. His 2023-24 contract paid him $2.25 million for a one-year deal. These numbers are affordable and one thing the Blues might match and even beat.

Ekman-Larsson ultimately stole some ice time from Montour within the Stanley Cup Finals, notably on power-play makes an attempt.

His presence was recognized, notably within the final two video games.

The St. Louis Blues don’t have the dominant roster because the Panthers do, so if Ekman-Larsson is in search of an elite staff proper now, he might not even contemplate the Blues.

Nevertheless, the Blues are ok to make the playoffs, and with the best gamers, they will fill voids and make some noise within the postseason. Most followers acknowledge the key weaknesses of the present Blues staff are discovered throughout the defensive unit.

Ekman-Larsson is a professional choice to not solely fill in gaps defensively for the Blues but additionally to deliver a veteran presence throughout the locker room.

Whereas it could be a stretch, Ekman-Larsson is a defenseman that GM Doug Armstrong ought to positively have on his radar.