Oliver Ekman-Larsson害羞草研究所檚 time in Vancouver has come to an end.

The Canucks said Friday they had bought out the defenceman害羞草研究所檚 contract, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Ekman-Larsson had four years and US$29 million remaining on an eight-year, $66-million contract he signed with Arizona in 2018.

In a release, the Canucks said they害羞草研究所檒l pay the Swedish defenceman $19.33 million over the next eight years.

害羞草研究所淭he business of hockey is very complex and tough decisions have to be made if you want to remain competitive,害羞草研究所� said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin. 害羞草研究所淏uying out Oliver gives us a lot more flexibility and cap space the next couple of years and significantly reduces his hit in the subsequent season.害羞草研究所�

If the team had retained Ekman-Larsson, he would have been paid a total of $18.5 million over the next two years alone, Allvin added.

害羞草研究所淚t is our expectation that following this year, the cap will also raise considerably making this the right time to execute this buyout,害羞草研究所� he said.

Back in March, head coach Rick Tocchet expressed a belief that Ekman-Larsson would return as a Canuck next season.

害羞草研究所淭his is a big summer for him,害羞草研究所� Tocchet said at the time. 害羞草研究所淚 know a lot of people count him out. I don害羞草研究所檛 know, I害羞草研究所檝e got a feeling that he害羞草研究所檚 going to have a really good year. There害羞草研究所檚 a gleam in his eye.

害羞草研究所淚 can tell that he害羞草研究所檚 going to use this as motivation. Things haven害羞草研究所檛 gone his way a lot a bunch of years now and I think this is something that, he害羞草研究所檚 going to take this summer and (reach) another level. I really believe it.害羞草研究所�

In a draft weekend trade in 2021, the Canucks acquired Ekman-Larsson and forward Conor Garland from the Coyotes for forwards Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel. Arizona also received the No. 9 pick that year (used to select Dylan Guenter), a second-round pick in 2022 and a seventh-round pick in 2023.

At the time, ex-Canucks general manager Jim Benning said he saw Ekman-Larsson as a top-pairing defenceman.

害羞草研究所淚 think overall, what he害羞草研究所檚 going to bring to our whole team is going to be immense as far as what he does in the dressing room to mentor our young players to what he does on the ice,害羞草研究所� Benning said.

Ekman-Larsson had two goals and 20 assists in 54 games with the Canucks last season. He missed the final 27 games of the campaign with an ankle injury.

Over two seasons with the Canucks, Ekman-Larsson had 51 points (7-44) in 133 games.

A sixth overall pick in 2009, the 31-year-old blueliner spent 12 seasons with the Coyotes. Tocchet served as his coach for four seasons in Arizona.

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