The rollercoaster of Oliver Ekman-Larsson's rookie year just keeps on going. After playing 14 games with the Phoenix Coyotes, the Yotes sent him down to their AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. That was followed by a brief one-game callup to cover for some injured Yotes.
However, on Tuesday the Coyotes announced that they have recalled the young defenseman again and he could see time on Thursday night against Minnesota.
The call up may be more related to the play of the bottom line defensemen, David Schlemko and Nolan Yonkman, than it's related to injury. Last time OEL saw a callup, Adrian Aucoin and Ed Jovanovski were struggling with various ailments.
Schlemko has struggled lately, finishing with a plus rating in just one of his last five contests. Yonkman has served as more of a big body on the blue line, but his play hasn't been too effective.
We'll know whether or not Ekman-Larsson will be inserted into the lineup as we grow closer to Thursday, when the Coyotes host the Minnesota Wild at Jobing.com Arena.