The Phoenix Coyotes have decided after 14 games up with the club that Oliver Ekman-Larsson is in need of a little bit of polishing up, so they have demoted the young defender down to San Antonio of the AHL on Friday. The move likely won't be a permanent one, with the ever-present likelihood of injuries throughout the season, but he should be able to enjoy more minutes with the AHL club, increasing his development.
In the 14 games that Ekman-Larsson dressed in, he was able to pick up 3 assists, but has also seen his ice-time drop as the season has worn on, starting at around 22 minutes per game and finally dropping down to 11 minutes against the Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Ekman-Larsson is projected to be a top-pairing defenseman in his career, but with him only playing bottom-pair minutes, his development will slow and that doesn't sit well with the club.
In the draft, Ekman-Larsson was a 13th round pick of Clayton's, taken more as a rookie selection with large upside, despite some fairly low scoring numbers from other highly touted rookie defensemen. As a late round pick like this, there isn't a great deal of expectations for points, using them more as sleeper picks for good things, especially as rookies.Link to the Injury/News Page
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