Call it the Arizona Coyotes continuing their European movement, or maybe more precisely, trying to make sure that their most important European player doesn’t move.
Either way, it looks like the Coyotes signed Kevin Ekman-Larsson, younger brother of star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, to an AHL deal.
This Swedish report by Johan Svensson and this tweet broke the news that the 22-year-old inked a deal with the wonderfully named Tuscon Roadrunners.
Kevin Ekman-Larsson @Kekmanlarsson skriver under sitt nya kontrakt ! Officiellt inom kort men det blir ett äventyr pic.twitter.com/g6lDxYvWaY
— AC Hockey (@AcHockey) May 19, 2017
Later on, the team confirmed as much.
The #Roadrunners have signed defenseman Kevin Ekman-Larsson (@Kekmanlarsson) to a one-year #AHL contract.
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) May 20, 2017
OFFICIAL: https://t.co/acUeelx1yB pic.twitter.com/HrQpgPzAFd
Five for Howling’s reaction includes at least some speculation that the signing might serve, in part, as incentive to keep “OEL” around.
One must at least ponder such a possibility considering Kevin Ekman-Larsson’s rather pedestrian stats. Then again, if “KEL” is more of a defensive-minded blueliner and puck-mover, his influence might not show up as well in counting stats.