‘It’s Unreal And Real At The Same Time’: Maple Leafs Defenseman Ekman-Larsson Spends His Day with the Stanley Cup in Sweden, Honors the most important person in  history.

When a team wins the Stanley Cup, each player gets their designated day with the trophy.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson was one of two 2024 Stanley Cup champions to join the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1. The other, goaltender Anthony Stolarz, celebrated his day with the Cup on July 16, bringing the iconic trophy to ‘Bar Anticipation’ at the Jersey Shore in New Jersey.

Related: Maple Leafs Goaltender Anthony Stolarz Celebrates His Day with the Stanley Cup at Jersey Shore’s Bar Anticipation

On Thursday, it was revealed that Ekman-Larsson had his turn with hockey’s most coveted prize.

According to an article posted by NHL.com, the 14-year veteran returned to his home country of Sweden to celebrate his first-ever Stanley Cup championship.

The 33-year-old brought the trophy to Dackehallen, a local rink in Tingsryd, Sweden. The public celebration featured Ekman-Larsson signing autographs and taking photos with young fans.

It’s unreal and real at the same time,” Ekman-Larsson said. “All the emotions and all the time you spent here, and everyone who comes here and shows their support. Then obviously some are here for the trophy as well, people are interested in it, but I’m so grateful.”

However, the most memorable part of the day was a private moment with family and friends. Ekman-Larsson brought the Stanley Cup to the cemetery where his late mother, Annika, who tragically passed away from breast and lung cancer in 2017, is laid to rest.

His career has been marked by highs and lows, and this was certainly a proud moment to share with his closest family members.

“That’s something that is high on the list,” he said.

The Swede signed a four-year, $14 million deal on the opening day of NHL free agency with the Leafs, saying in the interview with NHL.com, “It’s going to be a lot of fun. The whole journey from winning to getting to decide what to do in the future, it’s also a part of settling in,” Ekman-Larsson explained.

“Toronto reached out and it tingled a little extra in the stomach. We are really excited to start the new season over there, it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a lot of history and culture in that organization.”

After being bought out by the Vancouver Canucks in 2023, he signed an eventual one-year, $2.25 million pact with the Florida Panthers. Now, coming to Toronto, Ekman-Larsson feels better than ever, as he shared with the media after his deal with the Leafs was finalized.

“I want to play until I’m super old and they carry me off the ice,” Ekman-Larsson emphasized. “I don’t really look at the age. I feel a lot better than what I did when I was 25, to be honest with you, body-wise. So, I’m always looking to get better. And I feel like I’ve been taking steps in the right direction. But I felt like I was a good player. And like I said, I kind of found my game again.”

The former first-round pick has played in 982 regular season games, approaching the milestone of 1,000 games played. With his new deal in Toronto, which includes a modified no-trade clause, Ekman-Larsson adds experience, stability, and mobility to the Leafs’ defense.

The veteran defenseman can play both sides, left and right, is a strong puck mover, and potentially can compete for a spot on the power play. Over his career, he has successfully anchored a structured defensive game.

In 80 regular season games played in 2023-24, he scored nine goals paired with 23 assists for 32 points. In the postseason, he contributed another two goals and four assists on the way to the Stanley Cup victory