Rumours have been swarming around Oliver Ekman-Larsson for weeks now.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson is considered to be one of the top defencemen in the NHL today. Photo from here

Both the Bruins and Canucks were linked in talks for the 29 year old defenceman. The trade would’ve filled a hole for the Canucks. With Tanev leaving for the Flames and Fantenberg heading to the KHL, Vancouver will need a few new faces on their blue line.

The trade would’ve united Vancouver’s Swedish superstar Elias Petersson with his countries ice hockey captain. Ekman-Larsson and Petersson played together in 2019 World Championship. Alex Edler was also paired Ekman-Larsson for the Olympics in 2014 and 2017.

The asking price was reportedly a first round pick and a young defenceman. One of the rumours floating around was the Canucks would likely part 2016 fifth overall pick Olli Juolevi. The only catch would’ve been Arizona would need to take Loui Eriksson’s monster six million dollar a year contract. Vancouver can’t afford Ekman-Larsson’s eight million dollar contract and the six million dollar Swede. To make that work Vancouver would likely have to compensate Arizona with a little more because, let’s face it, Loui Eriksson doesn’t sweeten many deals.

Loui Eriksson scored an own goal in his debut with the Canucks. Legend. Photo from here

Twitter went wild with rumours, twelve year olds on Instagram spammed OEL with calls to join the Canucks, and armchair experts everywhere spent hours making videos analyzing what would happen.

Ultimately this deal never took place. Ekman-Larsson adressed the rumours in an interview with Swedish publication Hockey Svergie. “I have a no-trade/no-movement clause in my contract,I picked those teams because I didn’t want to stand in the way of the (Coyotes) in case they felt like they needed to move me. That’s the person I am. I put those teams there as alternatives, but I never really wanted to move.”

A rather anti-climatic end to weeks of rumours.

For now the Canucks will have to rely on their prospect pool or free agency to fill their blue lines needs.

Sorry. Too soon? Photo from here

Maybe phone up Zdeno Chara? I’m sure he’d love to win another cup in Vancouver.