Oliver Ekman-Larsson was named Coyotes’ captain at a press conference at Gila River Arena on Thursday. Ekman-Larsson is the fourth captain in the team’s Arizona history, following in chronological order, Keith Tkachuk (1996-2001), Teppo Numminen (2001-03) and Shane Doan (2003-17).

“It’s probably going to take a while to get used to that,” Ekman-Larsson said when the previous names were read. “It’s been special guys who have been captains before. It’s not going to be easy to be a captain after Shane Doan.

“It’s a big honor for me to be the captain of the Arizona Coyotes and I’m very thankful for the opportunity.”

Despite rampant speculation and hints from Coyotes officials that Ekman-Larsson would be named captain last season after the team parted ways with Doan, new coach Rick Tocchet chose to rotate alternate captains throughout the 2017-18 season while he evaluated his leadership group.

“I would lie if I said I wasn’t little bit surprised,” Ekman-Larsson said after the season. “We talked about it and I thought it was going to happen, so in my mind it was a little bit disappointing, but at the same time I thought ‘Toc’ did the right thing, too. He’s coming to a new team. He doesn’t know anybody.

“I wasn’t mad. I was just excited for the opportunity and in my mind, I probably built it up a little too much. That was probably my fault. You got excited when the news came out. When Shane was leaving, he said that they told him that they were going to give me the C. When I got over it, I didn’t really think about it anymore but it’s something I would love to do and I think I’ll be good at it.”

Like the team, Ekman-Larsson struggled early in the 2017-18 season and came under criticism from Tocchet, but the relationship improved as the season progressed and Ekman-Larsson’s game improved.

“That’s the biggest thing for me is how do guys deal with adversity,” Tocchet said Thursday. “It’s easy to be a good guy when you’re winning and everything is great. It’s when you’re losing that you have to be a great teammate and leader. I knew as the season went on he was exhibiting these qualities.”

The coach and player also bonded over the recent deaths of their mothers and Ekman-Larsson gained a better understanding of what Tocchet wanted from him in a leadership role, on and off the ice.

“For me, he got stronger as the year went on,” Tocchet said earlier this summer. “He struggled at the beginning of the year, but what I like about him is he didn’t just say, ‘I’m having a bad year,’ chalk it up to that and say, ‘Screw this.’ He worked at his game and from Christmas on I thought he took his game to another level.”

Tocchet admitted he was part of the equation in forging a better relationship.

“I did a better job with him after December, too,” he said. “I think our communication was better and our relationship got stronger. I take a little responsibility for his first two months because he didn’t know what to expect from me.

“His practice habits went from OK to outstanding the last two to three months. He knows that is something I have to have from him. When he hits the ice, the pace of practice has to be dictated by him and a few other guys like (Niklas) Hjalmarsson. The young guys are sponges. They watch and they’re impressionable. They have never been anywhere else at the NHL level to understand how things are done. Our practices were outstanding the last couple of months and I give credit to Oliver for that.”

Ekman-Larsson has said repeatedly that it would be an honor to follow in Doan’s footsteps. He cites Doan’s humility and loyalty as major influences on the way he conducts himself, but Doan said that is the way Ekman-Larsson has always conducted himself.

“OEL is a naturally charismatic guy,” Doan said. “People gravitate toward him and they enjoy being around him. When he shows interest in the other guys, all of the sudden they instantly want to help him. He has a good heart. He cares about people and if you do that, you’ll do great.”

Ekman-Larsson took a page from the Doan life-book when he signed an eight-year, $66 million extension with the team on July 1. He was asked if he had left money on the table to remain with the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2009 instead of testing the free-agent waters next summer.

“It’s just money,” he said. “It’s not going to make you happier if you go somewhere else and make more. My heart is in Arizona and that’s why I stayed.”

While numerous outlets speculated on where Ekman-Larsson might land if he did not sign the extension, or if he tested the free-agent waters, Ekman-Larsson consistently told reporters that he liked living and playing in Arizona.

“I didn’t really think about leaving or going anywhere else, to be honest with you, but it’s nice to get an end to people asking me if I would stay or go somewhere else,” he said. “I’ve been focused on staying in Arizona. That’s where I want to play. I think we have something good coming.”

(Top photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)