APPLETON, Wis. -- Former Lawrence University men's hockey player and associate head coach Kalle Larsson has made it to the big leagues.
    The National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers announced Thursday that Larsson has joined the team's hockey operations department as senior director of player development.
    According to a press release from the Oilers, Larsson will "collaborate and consult with senior management and coaches for both the Oilers and the (American Hockey League's) Bakersfield Condors in order to formulate and implement comprehensive individual development plans for each player in the organization."
    Larsson also will be responsible for overseeing and managing all areas of development for Oilers draft selections as well as signed prospects within the organization, according to the statement from the team. Larsson joins a team on the rise as the Oilers finished second in the Pacific Division with a 49-27-6 record. The Oilers are currently battling the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final. That best-of-seven series is currently even at two games apiece.
    "As an alum and a former coach, we are so proud and pleased with what Kalle's done," Lawrence head coach Brett Wall said. "I really can't wait to see what he does there. The impact he's going to have on that organization is going to be tremendous."
    A 2007 Lawrence graduate, Larsson had spent 11 seasons working with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. He started at Dubuque as the director of player personnel in 2015 and was promoted in 2017 to the position of general manager. Larsson had been serving as Dubuque's president of hockey operations when the Oilers came calling. During his tenure with the Saints, the team reached the USHL playoffs in every season.
    A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Larsson spent his final season at Lawrence playing for former Vikings head coach Mike Szkodzinski. Larsson was a forward for the Vikings and earned Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors during his career. Larsson also was a member of the Academic All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association team. He earned a bachelor's degree in government at Lawrence with an interdisciplinary in international studies and a minor in history.
    Szkodzinski brought Larsson back to campus in 2010 to serve as the Vikings' assistant coach. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2013. Larsson left Lawrence in 2014 to join the coach staff of the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers.