"I feel honored by the opportunity to be captain of Tre Kronor for the third time in my career. We have already now begun building a strong team spirit and we will continue to build it every day during this championship,"
"Ekman-Larsson is coming off a season where he was the Maple Leafs' best defenceman, recording eight goals and 39 points in 78 games. He was named to Sweden's Olympic team, and was the Maple Leafs' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy. Ekman-Larsson will certainly be relied upon for his veteran leadership, along with his secondary offence and physicality."
"He's a fantastic player. He really showed that at the World Juniors, which I watched, but also here with the national team. He's not here just to be here - he's here because he belongs at this level and wants to contribute. I feel the same way about all the junior players here."
"Sweden is submitting a compelling roster, boasting several veterans, along with two draft-eligible players in Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Bjorck, both of whom are expected to be top-10 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. Stenberg has been touted as an outside candidate to go first overall, with Penn State forward Gavin McKenna as the consensus favourite."
Oliver Ekman-Larsson will captain Sweden at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Mattias Ekholm and Lucas Raymond will serve as assistant captains. Ekman-Larsson was named to the team on May 11 and expressed honor and commitment to building team spirit throughout the tournament. He enters the event after a strong season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, producing eight goals and 39 points in 78 games and earning recognition for leadership and physical play. Sweden’s roster includes multiple veterans and two draft-eligible prospects, Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Bjorck, expected to be top-10 selections in the 2026 NHL Draft. Ekman-Larsson praised Stenberg’s performance and readiness to contribute at the international level.
Read at TheLeafsNation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]