Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will not be hitting the open market.
The Panthers and their top-pairing defenseman agreed to an eight-year extension carrying a $6.1 million average-annual worth, sources advised ESPN, confirming studies. The extension will preserve Ekblad from changing into an unrestricted free agent. TSN was first to report information of the deal.
The 29-year-old blueliner would have been one of the crucial coveted gamers out there when NHL free company opens on Tuesday and he left probably tens of millions of {dollars} per season on the desk to stay with Florida.
Ekblad had good cause to not discover his choices. The Panthers simply received their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship after making a 3rd consecutive journey to the Last. Normal supervisor Invoice Zito has additionally prioritized taking good care of the crew’s personal, signing Sam Bennett — the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner as NHL playoff MVP — to an eight-year, $64 million extension earlier this month.
Florida initially drafted Ekblad first general within the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He is been a major contributor to their blueline ever since, amassing 118 targets and 380 factors in 732 profession video games. Ekblad’s final two common seasons have proven a downturn manufacturing — he is managed solely seven targets and 51 factors in 107 video games — however he carries over 23 minutes per recreation and is a presence on the ability play and penalty kill.
Ekblad’s availability was additionally impacted through the 2024-25 marketing campaign by a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA efficiency enhancement substances program that carried over into the postseason.
The playoffs had been the place Ekblad started to shine once more as a high contributor, recording 4 targets and 13 factors in 19 video games as Florida beat Edmonton for a second straight season within the Last.
Now that Zito has dedicated to Ekblad and Bennett, there is a query of whether or not the membership’s different key pending free agent — ahead Brad Marchand — shall be sticking round, too. Marchand was acquired by Florida forward of the March commerce deadline and was integral to their playoff success, accumulating 10 targets and 20 factors in 23 video games.
The Panthers at present have $4.9 million in cap area out there for the approaching season, in response to Puckpedia.