Photo: Frank Gunn/AP/TT
If you have played 1000 NHL games, you deserve to celebrate.
For Oliver Ekman-Larsson, it could be an expensive story.
– He will get to invite the team to dinner now. It will be nice, says teammate William Nylander to Sportbladet.
After ten years in the Phoenix Coyotes (which became the Arizona Coyotes, which is now called the Utah Hockey Club) moved Oliver Ekman-Larsson33, to the Vancouver Canucks where he spent two seasons. Then the moving load went to Florida, where the quarterback from Småland actually won the Stanley Cup directly. Sadly, there was only one season there. Nowadays he resides in the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the night’s match against the Washington Capitals, he was involved and turned a 1-3 deficit into a 4-3 victory. Not enough of that. “OEL” played his 1000th game in the NHL. After his 14 years in the world’s best league, he has succeeded in a feat that only 19 Swedes managed before him. Most matches ever have Nicklas Lidström done, with 1564 games for the Detroit Red Wings.
ADVERTISEMENT: Compete for a unique winter experience in the Swedish rally!
How do you celebrate 1000 NHL games then? Well, about the teammate William Nylander gets to decide, then delicacies are offered. Preferably expensive ones.
– He will get to invite the team to a dinner now. It will be nice, he tells Sportbladet.
He himself longs for something drinkable.
– What I want? Some expensive wine would be nice, he says.
Oliver takes his place on the legendary list
On the NHL’s website, they write the following about his performance:
“Of the total of 421 Swedes who have played at least one game in the NHL, Ekman-Larsson will be only the 20th to reach 1,000 games. He steps into an exclusive company with, among others, Nicklas Lidström (1564 games), Mats Sundin (1346), the brothers Henrik (1330) and Daniel Sedin (1306), Daniel Alfredsson (1246) and Börje Salming (1148)”.
After the match, the main character was rather tight-lipped. He hadn’t had time to digest all the hype surrounding him and his career milestone.
– I know it means a lot. I know it’s a number that people look at. It’s just that right now I’m busy with the season and everything going on. That’s what I focus on. Not something individual. That’s not how I take on tasks, says Ekman-Larsson.
READ MORE: He is the best paid NHL Swede ever – the new contract gives him 150 million this year
READ MORE: Leo Carlsson breaks Mats Sundin’s old record in the NHL
Big congratulations to Oliver Ekman-Larsson who becomes the 20th Swede ever to reach 1000 games in the NHL. A fantastic performance!
Share