AARON EKBLAD NEWS

Won't play Wednesday Ekblad (upper body) won't play Wednesday but is making progress toward a return, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

Impact Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports Ekblad could join practice Friday, which potentially leaves the door open for the defenseman to play either Saturday in San Jose or Sunday in Vegas. His absence will reach seven consecutive games Wednesday, while Tobias Bjornfot continues to fill in on the blue line.

3 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Remains out Tuesday Ekblad (upper body) will not be in the lineup versus Anaheim on Tuesday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

Impact At this point, Ekblad should probably be considered a significant doubt to play Wednesday versus the Kings either -- though he hasn't been officially ruled out. Even when healthy, the blueliner was struggling to produce, going six straight games without a point while contributing 11 shots, 10 hits and six blocks. Tobias Bjornfot figures to be dropped from the lineup once Ekblad is given the all-clear.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Making progress Ekblad (upper body) skated before Monday's practice and felt better than he thought he would, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.

Impact Ekblad has missed the last five games, and it remains unclear if he will play against Anaheim on Tuesday. Still, head coach Paul Maurice believes the 28-year-old defender will return during Florida's four-game road trip. Ekblad has generated two goals, 20 points, 76 shots on net, 55 blocked shots and 59 hits through 41 appearances this season. Tobias Bjornfot has been filling in on the blue line due to Ekblad's absence.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Not available Saturday Ekblad (undisclosed) will be out of the lineup versus Anaheim on Saturday, according to Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.

Impact Ekblad will miss his fifth consecutive game Saturday. Coach Paul Maurice expects Ekblad to return on their four-game road trip beginning Tuesday in Anaheim and ending Sunday in Vegas. Ekblad has two goals, 18 assists, 76 shots on goal. 59 hits and 55 blocked shots through 41 appearances this season.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Unavailable Thursday Ekblad (undisclosed) will not be in the lineup versus Detroit on Thursday, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.

Impact Ekblad will miss his fourth consecutive game. The 28--year-old defenseman could return Saturday against the Ducks, but if he is unable to go, coach Paul Maurice stated that he was "fairly confident" that Ekblad would be able to play at some point next week as the Panthers are in California for three games. Ekblad has two goals and 18 assists in 41 appearances this season.

6 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Set to miss next two games Ekblad (undisclosed) won't travel with the Panthers for the team's two-game road trip, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports Sunday.

Impact Ekblad has missed two of the last three games. He won't play against Philadelphia on Monday and New Jersey on Tuesday. The Panthers will evaluate the 28-year-old defender when the team returns home ahead of Thursday's matchup versus Detroit. Ekblad has accounted for two goals, 20 points, 76 shots on net, 55 blocked shots and 59 hits through 41 appearances this season. Tobias Bjornfot and Adam Boqvist are options to fill in during Ekblad's absence.

JANUARY 12 • ROTOWIRE

Officially ruled out Ekblad (undisclosed) won't play Saturday against Boston, Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Impact Ekblad will miss Saturday's contest after he appeared to aggravate an injury Wednesday against Utah. Tobias Bjornfot will remain in the lineup while Ekblad is sidelined.

JANUARY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Doubtful Saturday Per Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post, coach Paul Maurice said that Ekblad (undisclosed) is doubtful for Saturday's encounter with Buffalo.

Impact Ekblad missed practice Friday. He played Wednesday in Utah but sat out the previous game in Colorado on Monday. The 28-year-old defenseman will be replaced in the lineup by Tobias Bjornfot, if he is unable to go.

JANUARY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Game-time decision Friday Ekblad (undisclosed) missed practice Friday and is considered a game-time decision against Boston, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Impact Ekblad played Wednesday after missing Monday's tilt in Colorado with the same injury. Ekblad has two goals, 18 assists, 59 hits and 55 blocked shots across 41 games this season.

JANUARY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Set to play Wednesday Ekblad (undisclosed) is expected to play versus Utah on Wednesday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

Impact Ekblad was unavailable Monday versus the Avalanche, but it looks like that will be the extent of his absence. The 28-year-old defenseman took line rushes in warmups on the top pairing, and he should also feature on the power play in his return.

JANUARY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Deemed game-time decision Ekblad (undisclosed) is considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's matchup against Utah, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

Impact Ekblad missed Monday's road game against the Avalanche due to an undisclosed issue, and his status for Wednesday's game is up in the air. Head coach Paul Maurice said that Ekblad will go through pregame warmups Wednesday and will play if he feels good afterward. Over his last 15 appearances, Ekblad has logged a goal, six shots, 22 hits, 19 blocked shots and 12 PIM while averaging 23:55 of ice time.

JANUARY 8 • ROTOWIRE

Won't play in Colorado Ekblad (undisclosed) won't suit up in Monday's road game versus the Avalanche, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.

Impact Ekblad will his first game of the season Monday. Dmitry Kulikov will skate alongside Gustav Forsling on the No. 1 pair, and with Niko Mikkola (upper body) also unavailable, Tobias Bjornfot will make his 2024-25 debut. Ekblad's next chance to suit up will be Wednesday in Utah.

JANUARY 7 • ROTOWIRE

Game-time call Ekblad will be a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury against Colorado on Monday, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.

Impact Ekblad wasn't on the ice for practice Sunday or Monday, which would seem to point to him not being available to face the Avalanche. The blueliner is currently mired in a five-game pointless streak on top of a seven-game goal drought. Still, if he plays, Ekblad should see plenty of time with the man advantage and could break out of his funk sooner rather than later.

JANUARY 6 • ROTOWIRE

Sets up game-winner Ekblad notched a power-play assist and four shots on goal in Friday's 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.

Impact Ekblad has racked up five points, including a pair of power-play assists, over his last three contests. His assist Friday set up Aleksander Barkov on the game-winner at 4:43 of overtime. Ekblad remains on the top pairing for the Panthers, and his offense has taken a step forward since he returned to power-play duties. He's up to 19 points, 64 shots on net, 48 hits, 47 blocked shots, 33 PIM and a plus-6 rating over 34 appearances. The blueliner had just 18 points over 51 appearances in the 2023-24 regular season.

DECEMBER 21, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Shines in win over Minnesota Ekblad recorded one goal and two assists, including one on the power play, in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Wild.

Impact Ekblad posted his first multi-point performance since Nov. 29, when he recorded two assists in a 6-3 win over the Hurricanes, and he cracked the scoresheet in back-to-back contests for the first time since late November as well. Ekblad has scored double-digit goals in eight of his previous 10 seasons with the Panthers. However, there's a realistic chance he might not reach the 10-goal threshold for the second consecutive campaign in 2024-25, as he has only two goals across 33 appearances. Plus, his current 3.3 shooting percentage would be a career-worst mark for the 28-year-old.

DECEMBER 19, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Matthew Tkachuk's 2 goals lead Panthers past Wild 6-1

Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves and the Florida Panthers beat the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Wednesday night

DECEMBER 19, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chips in with assist Ekblad notched an assist and two shots on goal in Monday's 6-5 win over the Oilers.

Impact Ekblad ended a five-game drought when he helped out on Gustav Forsling's second-period tally. The 28-year-old Ekblad is now at 15 points, 57 shots on net, 47 hits, 47 blocked shots, 33 PIM and a plus-4 rating through 32 appearances. He's playing on the first pairing and first power-play unit, and he's well on his way to surpassing the 18 points he put up over 51 regular-season contests in 2023-24.

DECEMBER 17, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

SJS@FLA: Blackwood with a great save against Aaron Ekblad | San Jose Sharks SJS@FLA: Blackwood with a great save against Aaron Ekblad

DECEMBER 8, 2024 • NHL.COM

Finally gets first goal of season Ekblad scored a goal Saturday in a 6-0 win over Carolina.

Impact It was Ekblad's first regular-season goal since scoring against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 20, 2024. He is currently on a three-game, four-point scoring streak (nine shots), and he has 13 points in 25 games this season. Ekblad may never replicate his 57 points in 61 games in 2021-22, but he's a solid fantasy play as a possible 40-plus point defender with a strong plus-minus, some production on the power play and the willingness to wire the puck from the point.

DECEMBER 1, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Knight stops 20 shots, Florida rolls past Carolina 6-0 for 2nd win over 'Canes in as many days

Spencer Knight made 20 saves, Mackie Samoskevich scored with less than a second left in the second period, and the Florida Panthers got four goals in the third to beat the Carolina...

NOVEMBER 30, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two apples Friday Ekblad threaded two assists in Friday's 6-3 win over the Hurricanes.

Impact Ekblad has yet to find the back of the net in 2024-25, but he's been productive lately with six helpers over his last seven games. The right-shot blueliner has only put 33 shots on goals through 24 games, but he does lead Florida's defensemen in scoring. Overall, Ekblad has accounted for 12 helpers and a plus-5 rating through 24 contests.

NOVEMBER 30, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Greer, Lundell help Panthers beat back Hurricanes 6-3

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NOVEMBER 29, 2024 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Picks up helper Ekblad recorded an assist in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Blackhawks.

Impact Ekblad set up a Sam Reinhart goal midway through the second period. This was Ekblad's second helper in the last three contests, and he's also been over 25 minutes of ice time in two straight games. The defenseman is up to eight assists, 26 shots on net, 30 hits, 27 blocked shots, 21 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 20 appearances.

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Notches assist in win Ekblad recorded an assist, three shots on goal, two hits, seven PIM and a plus-2 rating in Saturday's 5-0 win over the Jets.

Impact Ekblad had endured a five-game drought after his three-assist game versus the Stars on Nov. 1. The 28-year-old defenseman has had limited offense so far with seven assists over 18 contests, though he's gotten on the scoresheet in just four games. He's added 24 shots on net, 21 PIM, 23 blocked shots, 30 hits and a plus-6 rating. Ekblad continues to fill a top-four role for the Panthers, so his offense should get more consistent over time.

NOVEMBER 17, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Dishes three apples in win Ekblad notched three assists in Friday's 6-4 win over the Stars.

Impact Ekblad portrayed his versatility in Friday's victory -- he generated one helper at even strength, one on the power play and one shorthanded. The right-shot blueliner added three shots, one takeaway and a plus-2 rating to go along with a team-high 22:45 of ice time. Ekblad has logged two multi-point performances this season, but he's found the scoresheet in just three of his 12 appearances. The Ontario native has yet to find the back of the net in 2024-25, but he's produced six assists and a plus-3 rating overall.

NOVEMBER 2, 2024 • ROTOWIRE