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.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (shoulder) has been activated from Injured Reserve and will join the lineup for the first time this season on Friday versus the Ducks. There were whispers of Ekblad being ready to play in the matchup, and it's now official. The 27-year-old will look to produce a bounce-back year in 2023-24 after being limited to only 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 71 games last season.
Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour Could Both Return Friday
Florida Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour could both be available to the club for Friday night's contest on the road against the Anaheim Ducks. "We'll make a decision on whether they play tomorrow," Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice said. "It's that soon now." Both defensemen were expected to be out until mid-December after both were injured during the club's run to the Stanley Cup Final last season but are apparently well ahead of schedule. Ekblad suffered a broken foot, two shoulder separations, and an oblique injury while Montour underwent offseason shoulder surgery. Montour was the superior fantasy asset in a breakout year in the 2023-24 campaign but both rear guards should have significant value again this season, even if there is some rust out of the gate.
Brandon Montour And Aaron Ekblad Return To Practice
Florida Panthers defensemen Brandon Montour (shoulder) and Aaron Ekblad (shoulder) practiced with the team on Sunday and will join the rest of the group for Florida's upcoming three-game road trip. The defensive duo has yet to feature for the Panthers this season, and it was believed they won't be ready until mid-December, but the team now aims to get them back around Thanksgiving near the end of November. Florida hasn't exactly struggled without Montour and Ekblad, going 4-3-0 and winning four of the last five games, but the two will add a lot more quality to the Panthers blue line. Gustav Forsling and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have carried the backline early in the season and will have to settle for lesser roles once the Panthers are back to full strength.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (shoulder) has been ruled out for the start of the season by general manager Bill Zito. Four weeks ago, Zito suggested that Ekblad is a month or two away from returning from shoulder surgery, but he has now said that the Panthers captain is expected back between November and January. Ekblad tore his oblique muscle, had multiple shoulder separations, and broke a foot last season as the Panthers battled all the way through to the Stanley Cup Finals. Florida made quite a few maneuvers at the back during the offseason and it will be interesting to see who steps up in the captain's absence.
Aaron Ekblad And Brandon Montour "On Time" In Recovery
Florida Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad (shoulder) and Brandon Montour (shoulder) are on schedule in their recovery, according to Panthers general manager Bill Zito. "The intel I'm getting back is that they're on time," Zito said on the Sirius XM NHL Power Play show. Both players underwent surgery in the offseason to fix shoulder issues. Zito added that they are one or two months away from returning to the lineup. Florida kicks off the 2023-24 campaign on Oct. 12, so it's possible both Ekblad and Montour will be in the lineup on opening night. The two are the leaders of the Panthers blue line and soak up heavy minutes night in, night out. Ekblad will hope to produce a bounce-back season in 2023-24 after posting only 38 points last term, while Montour has set himself a high bar following a spectacular 73-point year in 80 games.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is set to undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the start of training camp. Ekblad played through multiple injuries in the playoffs and separated his shoulder in the second-round matchup against Carolina. He is now looking forward to getting fully healthy over the summer. "That's been a problem for a long time for me, so we're going to get it fixed," Ekblad said. "So no, I won't be ready for September, but shortly after that, so going to work through that." Despite the health issues, Ekblad was able to chip in with two goals and six assists in 20 games as Florida reached the second Stanley Cup Finals in its history. He had a down year during the regular season with 38 points and a minus-14 rating in 71 appearances.
Aaron Ekblad Played Through Multiple Injuries In Playoffs
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad battled through multiple injuries in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He reportedly broke his foot in the first-round series against Boston, had two shoulder separations, and also suffered an oblique tear. Despite the health issues, Ekblad missed only one game during the team's run to the Finals and averaged 23:57 of ice time. The Florida captain was able to contribute two goals and six assists in 20 games. He now faces a summer full of injury rehabilitation.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad registered two points in Friday's series-clinching 3-2 overtime victory against Toronto. He opened the scoring with an early power-play goal and helped Carter Verhaeghe to put the team two goals up. The Maple Leafs battled back and found a way to extend the game, but Ekblad and the Panthers completed the job in overtime. The 2022-23 campaign has been a tough one for Ekblad, but he also produced a two-point performance in Game 3 against Toronto and appears to be finally back playing to his full potential. The 27-year-old has notched five points in total for the playoffs with 17 shots on goal, 19 blocks, 18 hits and a plus-six rating.
Aaron Ekblad Notches Two Assists In Game 3 Victory
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad played his part with two assists as the team grabbed a 3-0 series lead against Toronto on Sunday with a 3-2 overtime victory. Having previously managed just one point for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ekblad set up Anthony Duclair for a power-play goal and also logged an assist when Sam Reinhart won the game for Florida 3:02 into overtime. Ekblad's regular-season struggles have continued in the playoffs, but he won't complain as long as the team is successful. It looks like he will get at least one more series to look for form.
