Vancouver Canucks buy out defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s contract

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have bought out Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s contract, making the defenceman an unrestricted free agent.

Ekman-Larsson has 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 say they’ll pay the Swedish defenceman $19.33 million over the next eight years, which will reduce the team’s salary-cap hit.

The Canucks acquired Ekman-Larsson and forward Conor Garland in a July 2021 trade with the Coyotes.