Aaron Ekblad Suspended 20 Games For Violating Drug Policy
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for 20 games due to a violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. He will begin the suspension on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. With only 18 games left on the regular-season slate, the Panthers will begin the playoffs without Ekblad. The 29-year-old defenseman has recently enjoyed a six-game point streak, reaching 33 points (three goals, 30 assists) in 56 games for the season. Ekblad is also a big presence in the defensive zone, recording 64 blocks and 90 hits for the season. New arrival Seth Jones is expected to assume a larger role until Ekblad returns from suspension.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (upper body) is good to go for Saturday's game against the San Jose Sharks. After missing eight of the last nine games, Ekblad came through Friday's practice session without any issues. On Saturday morning, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice confirmed that Ekblad will be re-inserted into the lineup for the meeting with the Sharks. Ekblad will rejoin his regular partner Gustav Forsling on the first defensive pairing, bumping Dmitry Kulikov and Nate Schmidt down in the lineup. Schmidt will also relinquish his spot on the first power-play unit to Ekblad, who leads the Panthers blue-liners with 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) in 41 games. Tobias Bjornfot will come out of the lineup as a healthy scratch.
According to Jameson Olive of NHL.com, Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (upper body) practiced with the team on Friday. Olive noted that head coach Paul Maurice said the star defenseman "has a chance" to play against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday evening. The 28-year-old has missed eight of his previous nine games with this injury. However, seeing him skate alongside Gustav Forsling during practice suggests he is nearing a return. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status before the game on Saturday night. Through 41 games this season, Ekblad has scored twice and added 18 helpers. He has logged 59 hits, 55 blocked shots, and a +3 rating. If he does return to action, Tobias Bjornfot will likely exit the starting lineup.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) will not play against Anaheim on Saturday. He will remain out of the lineup for a fifth consecutive game. Ekblad's next chance to return will be on Tuesday in a rematch with the Ducks. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has said he expects to have Ekblad available next week, so he should be ready for a comeback soon. On Saturday, Dmitry Kulikov will continue to operate on the first defensive pairing, while Nate Schmidt and Uvis Balinskis receive extra usage on the power play.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) will remain behind as the team kicks off the new week with road contests against Philadelphia and New Jersey. Ekblad is battling an unspecified ailment and has missed two of the past three games. Tobias Bjornfot played against Boston instead of Ekblad on Friday, with Dmitry Kulikov moving to the first defensive pairing. Uvis Balinskis logs time on the first power-play unit with Ekblad out, while Nate Schmidt also gets increased usage with the man advantage.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) is a game-time decision for Wednesday's matchup against Utah. Ekblad was unavailable for Monday's game versus Colorado but participated in Wednesday's morning skate, suggesting he may be ready for action again. The former first-overall pick has bagged 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) in 40 outings this season. Niko Mikkola (upper body), who has amassed 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) across 36 appearances, might also return on Wednesday to bolster Florida's defense. Ekblad's return will bump Dmitry Kulikov down from the first defensive pairing.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) is not expected to play in Monday's matchup against Colorado. Ekblad is dealing with a "general body" injury and took the ice after Monday's morning skate. He's set to miss his first game of the season. Fellow blue-liner Niko Mikkola (upper body) participated in the morning skate but is also considered unlikely to play on Monday. He is looking at a fifth consecutive absence. With the Florida defense down a couple of bodies, Dmitry Kulikov is poised to skate on the first defensive pairing on Monday, while Uvis Balinskis will get to work on the second power-play unit. The Avalanche have struggled on the penalty kill, making Uvis Balinskis an interesting DFS target.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) missed Sunday's practice session. He sat out Sunday's practice after missing the end of regulation and overtime on Friday against Pittsburgh. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters that Ekblad is dealing with "general body malaise." He will be a "morning-skate decision" for Monday's contest against Colorado. Ekblad has been in an offensive slump lately but has played well overall in 2024-25. Following an 18-point effort in 51 appearances last season, the 28-year-old already has 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) across 40 contests this term. Ekblad leads his team with 54 blocks and has recorded 59 hits. Dmitri Kulikov will likely fill in for Ekblad on the first defensive pairing if he can't play on Monday.
Aaron Ekblad Poised To Play Out Season With Panthers
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad appears set to remain with the team despite his pending status as an unrestricted free agent. Lyle Richardson of The Hockey News expects Ekblad to spend the entire campaign with the reigning Stanley Cup champions. As the Panthers have lost Brandon Montour to Seattle in free agency this offseason, Ekblad should have a bigger role to play on the team. However, his health status should be a concern for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old featured in only 51 regular-season games last term and has missed significant time in each of the past four campaigns.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) will be back to take on the rival Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the postseason on Sunday in Sunrise. The veteran missed the final six games of the regular season with a lower-body injury and appeared in just four of the team's last 17 regular-season contests. "He would have played in the last game had it been a playoff game," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said after practice Friday. "We just did not see a point to it. We had enough healthy and strong defensemen and were in good shape." Ekblad skated with Gustav Forsling on Friday and registered four goals and 18 points in 51 games after a late start to his season due to multiple injuries suffered in last season's playoffs.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is likely out for the remainder of the regular season due to an undisclosed injury suffered in a loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. He skated just 7:16 in the 5-3 loss before departing. Ekblad has been limited to just 51 games this season as he missed time to begin the season due to injuries suffered during Florida's run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring. "This is not new and it's not unknown to us, what it is," Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice said. "He's a real good handle on how long it's going to take and he's progressing really well today from it, so we're getting there. We're going to miss him." The former No. 1 overall pick has recorded four goals and 18 points in his 51 contests this season.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) is likely out for a while after suffering an undisclosed injury against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Head coach Paul Maurice said that he expects Ekblad back for the playoffs, which makes it sound like the injury will hold the 28-year-old out for at least a few games. The defensive stalwart hasn't been much of an offensive threat this year, posting just 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 51 games, but he has been a strong force on defense and will be a tough loss for the Panthers.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad exited Tuesday's contest against Montreal early with an undisclosed injury. He took only 11 shifts and logged 7:16 on the ice. This was only the fourth game back from a lower-body injury for Ekblad, who also missed a large chunk at the start of the campaign following offseason shoulder surgery. The team might now have to cope with his absence again. Health issues have limited the 28-year-old to 51 appearances in 2023-24. He's had 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) with 98 shots, 85 hits, 59 blocks, and a plus-27 rating. Tobias Bjornfot and Josh Mahura are candidates to replace Ekblad in the lineup.
Aaron Ekblad Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) has been cleared to return to the lineup on Thursday versus the Islanders. He will be back in action after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. Ekblad sits on 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) through 47 games while boasting 78 hits and 55 blocks. He's set to resume his normal duties on the first defensive pairing and the second power-play unit.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is out at least two weeks due to a lower-body injury. The former first-overall pick was injured Saturday during a 5-1 win over the Calgary Flames when he collided with new teammate Vladimir Tarasenko in the first period of the victory. "[We'll use] two weeks as a starting point, and then we'll go day to day after that," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said on Monday. "We're going to wait until he is 100 percent. I expect him back at the end of March, early April," the bench boss added. The veteran has tallied four goals and 17 points in 47 games on the season after he missed time early due to numerous injuries suffered during the club's run to the Stanley Cup Final a season ago.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad left Saturday's 5-1 victory over Calgary with a lower-body injury. He registered one shot on goal and two hits in 5:10 of action before leaving. After making his season debut only in mid-November following a shoulder surgery, Ekblad could now face another spell on the sidelines. He has skated in 47 games in the current campaign, registering 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) with 94 shots on net, 76 hits, and 55 blocks. Gustav Forsling and Oliver Ekman-Larsson took on larger roles early in the campaign when Ekblad missed time along with Brandon Montour. The Panthers continue their season on Tuesday versus Dallas.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) returned from a one-game absence with a quick goal in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime victory against Ottawa. After missing Saturday's clash with the Lightning due to a lower-body injury, Ekblad needed only 19 seconds of action to open the scoring in Tuesday's game. It's the second-fastest goal ever to begin a contest by a Panthers defenseman. Ekblad also had a pair of blocks on Tuesday while logging 20:32 of ice time. It's been a struggle for Ekblad offensively for quite some time, as he's gone scoreless in 13 of his last 16 appearances. However, his composed work on the defensive end has resulted in him registering a plus-21 rating in just 38 games. He has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) for the season and has tallied 60 hits and 47 blocks.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) has been ruled out for Saturday's matchup against the Oilers. There was hope of him being available after Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said that Ekblad only suffered a minor injury against Vancouver on Thursday, but he will end up sitting out Saturday's action. Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be promoted to the first defensive pairing and should also feature heavily on the power play. Ekblad is officially out for precautionary reasons, so he shouldn't be absent for long.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower body) is dealing with a lower-body injury that caused him to leave Thursday's game against the Vancouver Canucks early. Head coach Paul Maurice didn't seem worried about the injury, calling it "less than day-to-day", but Ekblad is still in danger of missing Saturday's contest against Edmonton. The 27-year-old has been a bit of a disappointment since coming off IR, posting just four assists in 13 games. He still shoots, hits, and blocks a fair amount, and the points should come, so he is a hold for now in most leagues.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad sustained a lower-body injury in Thursday's matchup against Vancouver. He logged 12:29 of ice time in the contest and had only 15 shifts. However, it appears as though pulling him from the game was only a precautionary move by the Panthers, as head coach Paul Maurice said postgame that Ekblad should be considered "less than day-to-day." Florida is back at it on Saturday versus Edmonton. Ekblad skated in only his 13th game of the year on Thursday after missing the start of the season following shoulder surgery. He's looked in good form, contributing four assists while totaling 14 hits and 21 blocks with a plus-six rating.
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