With the Utah Hockey Club and the Toronto Maple Leafs to face each other on Monday night, it means that former teammates will disagree with each other. Obviously there is Arizona’s connection with Max Domi and Oliver Ekman-Larsson In Utah for the first time. However, one that is overlooking is the connection of Florida Panthers.
Last season, Kevin Stenlund He played in the Panthers with Ekman-Larsson, Steven Lorentz and Anthony Stolarz. The group made a long battle to finally win the Stanley Cup in game 7 of the final. While the Maple Leafs welcomed Utah in November, it will be the first time one of the most historical franchises in the League, visit Salt Lake City, and Ekman-Larsson and Lorentz could not be more excited to face Stenlund.
Stenlund was a key taxpayer for the Cup race
In the Panthers Race to the Cup, Stenlund was not one of the main taxpayers of the team offensively, he only scored a point in 24 playoff games. However, he provided something else for what many Utah fans know him: winning clashes and being an effective bidirectional player and a penalty murderer.
Lorentz knows how critic was Stenlund’s role during Panthers run to the Stanley CupDespite playing a lower role. He also knows that he is not only gifted defensively, but also has some great movements.
“It was a four C block throughout the season,” Lorentz said. “A great right that is strong, can take clashes, and has some very good gloves. You can make really good plays and showed it. He was not super striking all year, but then he would make a striking play. It was like, oh, that’s fine, this guy is able to do it. He understood his role, and played in him. Great penalty murderer, great stick “.
Stenlund has provided exactly that for Utah this season. Although he has not scored much, he has made many great plays, especially defensively. It is also one of the best players in the circle of confrontation of the League. It is known that chief coach André Tourigny puts Stenlund for a confrontation to open extra periods of time or at critical points during the games where Utah desperately needs a victory in the circle.
An incredible teammate
While Stenlund only played a season with the Panthers, he became friends with life with many of his teammates. Winning the Stanley Cup was certainly a large part of that, but its general personality did it A very dear teammate. Lorentz certainly strange to have him close, and he also knows that Ekman-Larsson and Stolarz do it too.
“It’s the best type in the world, a great teammate,” Lorentz said. “It is a large part of our team last year, and they all loved it. I miss him. We were also with Stoli and Oel, so those guys also miss him. It’s just a great teammate, Salt of the Earth Guy. It is a bit quieter, but it is always in a good mood. It seems to always be smiling. “
Stenlund was able to take Ekman-Larsson and Lorentz to dinner on Sunday night after the Maple Leafs landed at Salt Lake City that day. It seems that they have to catch up and have a good time, what they have failed to do since the three played with the Panthers. Ekman-Larsson had a good time, but he is even more excited to play against Stenlund on Monday.
“I saw Steny last night, with whom I played in Florida, and talked to some boys,” said Ekman-Larsson. “It will be fun to play against them tonight.”
