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Maple Leafs’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson named to Sweden’s Olympic team

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been named to Sweden’s men’s Olympic hockey team.

Ekman-Larsson has recorded seven goals and 25 points in 40 games this season for the Maple Leafs, emerging as arguably their best defender during the 2025-26 campaign.

“He’s been one of Toronto’s best defensemen so far, if not the best,” Sweden head coach Sam Hallam said to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger in December. “We’re looking closely and following him. The way he’s kind of maneuvered his career from what happened in Vancouver, ending up in Florida, winning the Cup, and then bringing that level of game to Toronto, we’re following him closely. And it’s great to see. He’s making my job difficult.”

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READ MORE: Maple Leafs’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson making strong bid for Sweden’s Olympic team 

Ekman-Larsson joins Maple Leafs teammate William Nylander on Sweden’s roster. Nylander was one of the first six players named to the team, and will operate as one of the offensive focal points during the tournament, ranking third among Swedish skaters with 41 points this season.

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“Any time you can play for your country, it’s a special thing,” Ekman-Larsson said of his Olympic candidacy in December. “But you can’t let that sway your concentration of what’s immediately ahead of you. And that’s to win games for the Toronto Maple Leafs.”

Ekman-Larsson was not named to Sweden’s roster at the 4 Nations Face-Off and played his way on the Olympic team, after a stellar first half of the season. It’s a well-deserved honour for the 34-year-old, who has been turning back the clock with his resurgent campaign.

Here is Sweden’s full roster: 

Forwards: Jesper Bratt, Leo Carlsson, Joel Eriksson Ek, Filip Forsberg, Pontus Holmberg, Adrian Kempe, Gabriel Landeskog, Elias Lindholm, William Nylander, Elias Pettersson, Rickard Rakell, Lucas Raymond, Alexander Wennberg, Mika Zibanejad

Defencemen: Rasmus Andersson, Philip Broberg, Jonas Brodin, Rasmus Dahlin, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Gustav Forsling, Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson

Goaltenders: Filip Gustavsson, Jacob Markstrom, Jesper Wallstedt

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