The funny thing is people would be upset if we didnt sign OEL. They had to do something, the other guys picked elsewhere. Right now Toronto has to take whomever will play here. He won a cup and he can help us. Torontos defense is better than last years`version. Is it a cup defense? Only if every guy has a career year at the same time.
Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (4 years, $3.5M AAV)
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ULF_55
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I don't think anyone has to have a career year, but several have to step up from previous years playoffs performance.
Regular season doesn't carry over, so career years won't help in the playoffs other than perhaps getting home ice in more than the first round.
A career playoffs for half the team would be amazing.
Not being able to decide between players 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the the Smythe ... that would be great for debate.
Maybe you missed the following?
One is that he believes he has a chance to win again in Toronto.
Mess said that... where has OEL mentioned winning?
Or he is quoting another article maybe... but nowhere has OEL mentioned winning from what I saw.
He doesn’t use the specific word “winning” but the implication of the bolded statement couldn’t be much clearer.
"I've always liked coming [to Toronto] as an away team, playing in that building. It's always special. Obviously, there's a lot of history in the organization and I feel like they have a really good team that has a chance to do something special as well. I think it's a good fit."
Both this quote and what mess posted are from the same article / interview with OEL
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I never saw that quote, thanks, I was wrong.
He does talk a lot about the organization and the staff as a reason for coming here, I missed the one-off sentence (or the article I read didn't have it, not sure), my bad.
I'm not convinced he came here to win based on what I've read, but I do agree he said it (or a version of it). I am sure going to a playoff team and having a chance to win is important to an extent though.
For what it’s worth, small samples and all those other qualifiers:
This year playoffs:
Montour: 1g, 2a pp production in 24gp
93:47 PPTOI, 3:54 per game, 66.9% PPTOI%
9GF, 4GA
OEL: 0g, 4a pp production in 24gp
42:06 PPTOI, 1:45 per game, 30.0% PPTOI%
6GF, 1GA
There’s a fairly easy case to make here that OEL was the most effective PP QB on the team that just won the Stanley Cup
This year playoffs:
Montour: 1g, 2a pp production in 24gp
93:47 PPTOI, 3:54 per game, 66.9% PPTOI%
9GF, 4GA
OEL: 0g, 4a pp production in 24gp
42:06 PPTOI, 1:45 per game, 30.0% PPTOI%
6GF, 1GA
There’s a fairly easy case to make here that OEL was the most effective PP QB on the team that just won the Stanley Cup
Maple Leaf
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ULF_55
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Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett: "It was never an option not getting back to that situation" | TSN
After losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, Sam Bennett and the Florida Panthers were willing to do whatever it took to get back to that spot and finish the job.
www.tsn.ca
After their loss to Vegas in 2023, the Panthers defensive corps were beat up to start the 2023-24 season. Top-pairing defencemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour were both out significant time to start the season with injuries.
This led to the Panthers bringing into some help in order to keep the team afloat for the first few weeks of the season. Among that help was Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who Bennett credits as an unsung hero for the squad.
“I was honestly shocked with how good he is,” said Bennett. “Everyone knew how good he was earlier in his career in Arizona, but last year he was probably one of our unsung heroes for how steady he was.”
Ekman-Larsson has since joined the Maple Leafs as one of their key free-agent signings in the off-season. Bennett believes that the defenceman will quickly show how valuable he is to his new team, especially around playoff time.
“He’s a really good pickup for Toronto,” said Bennett. “He was a key cog in the playoffs for how good he was. He’ll get in there and has a little nastiness to his game as well. He was a huge pickup for us last year and a big part of us winning.”
Ianturnedbull
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- Jun 11, 2022
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I like this. I wish this quote was around when they first signed OEL.Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett: "It was never an option not getting back to that situation" | TSN
After losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, Sam Bennett and the Florida Panthers were willing to do whatever it took to get back to that spot and finish the job.
After their loss to Vegas in 2023, the Panthers defensive corps were beat up to start the 2023-24 season. Top-pairing defencemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour were both out significant time to start the season with injuries.
This led to the Panthers bringing into some help in order to keep the team afloat for the first few weeks of the season. Among that help was Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who Bennett credits as an unsung hero for the squad.
“I was honestly shocked with how good he is,” said Bennett. “Everyone knew how good he was earlier in his career in Arizona, but last year he was probably one of our unsung heroes for how steady he was.”
Ekman-Larsson has since joined the Maple Leafs as one of their key free-agent signings in the off-season. Bennett believes that the defenceman will quickly show how valuable he is to his new team, especially around playoff time.
“He’s a really good pickup for Toronto,” said Bennett. “He was a key cog in the playoffs for how good he was. He’ll get in there and has a little nastiness to his game as well. He was a huge pickup for us last year and a big part of us winning.”
ULF_55
Moderator
I liked him at the Kadri draft ... but he was gone.
Apparently, he played through 2 injuries with the Canucks.
Leafs need the healthy OEL.
Stephen
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I’m oddly very excited about OEL.
OEL is like Kling, but with a little more certainty and a little less upside. Probably why he got a little less money, but more term.
Should range from overpaid passable third pairing to cost efficient strong second pairing.
Hard to say what we will get but he has the right toolset.
Should range from overpaid passable third pairing to cost efficient strong second pairing.
Hard to say what we will get but he has the right toolset.
LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
I'm actually kind of excited to see OEL.
He looked pretty good in the playoffs for Florida and was apparently playing on some injuries while in VAN.
He looked pretty good in the playoffs for Florida and was apparently playing on some injuries while in VAN.
He did a solid job as the #1 in a shitty situation his first year there. The 2nd year the wheels fell off and injuries played a big part in that
Stephen
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Well, OEL’s career seems to be on the rebound whereas Klingberg was completely falling apart so hopefully they’re not that similar.
Hoping ORL can continue to play well and can also help further Liljegren’s development.
Liljegren played well when paired with Giordano, but once Gio started to slide, Liljegren wasn’t far enough along to compensate for it.
With clear pairings of Rielly-Tanev, McCabe-Benoit, hoping with a new coach who can actually inspire some confidence and a still high performing veteran OEL as a consistent defence partner (being a fellow Swede helps too!), hopefully Liljegren takes a significant step forward this year.
We really need him to, and for his long-term prospects here, he needs it desperately too.
Liljegren played well when paired with Giordano, but once Gio started to slide, Liljegren wasn’t far enough along to compensate for it.
With clear pairings of Rielly-Tanev, McCabe-Benoit, hoping with a new coach who can actually inspire some confidence and a still high performing veteran OEL as a consistent defence partner (being a fellow Swede helps too!), hopefully Liljegren takes a significant step forward this year.
We really need him to, and for his long-term prospects here, he needs it desperately too.
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Maple Leaf
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Oddly enough I’m pretty excited to see OEL slot into the bottom four. He had a good bounce back season last year and can slot in next to McCabe or Liljegren easily. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the top PP unit as well.
rumman
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Could be a great pickup, could be this year’s Brodie? Scratch that, I got Lilly pegged as this year’s Brodie…….
ULF_55
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rumman
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Good one, but you know what I meant, Brodie was a very serviceable D man until the playoffs the year before last……
