DALLAS – Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson suited up for 79 games.
He’s played the most minutes on the team and merited the toughest assignments, as he regularly shadowed the opposition’s best.
At the other end of the ice, his output helped him grow his career goal total so that he’s scored the third-most among defensemen in franchise history.
And Ekman-Larsson did all this while knowing his mother was battling cancer.
“He was playing with a heavy heart,” coach Dave Tippett said.
Ekman-Larsson wasn't in the lineup Tuesday against the Stars, and he'll also miss Arizona's final two games as he was granted a leave of absence by the team to return to his native Sweden following the death of his mother, Annika.