Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will miss the rest of the season to go home to Sweden after the death of his mother.
"This has been a very difficult year for me personally," Ekman-Larsson said in a statement. "I'd like to thank the Coyotes organization and all of my teammates for their incredible support all season long. I'm sorry that I'll miss our last three games but family comes first."
According to a team release, Ekman-Larsson's mother has been battling cancer for some time. The team granted him leave Monday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Oliver and his family during this very difficult time," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said. "Oliver has done a remarkable job dealing with this issue all season long and we commend him for the professionalism that he's demonstrated. It's important that he travels back to Sweden now to be with his family."
The 25-year-old Ekman-Larsson has 12 goals and 27 assists this season. He is a four-time All Star.