Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Agrees to eight-year extension

Ekblad signed an eight-year, $48.8 million contract extension with Florida on Monday, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports.

Ekblad would have been a hot commodity on the open market as an unrestricted free agent, but he will remain with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. Since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, he has played for the Panthers for 11 straight years. In the 2024-25 regular season, he contributed three goals, 33 points, 106 shots on net, 64 blocked shots and 90 hits across 56 appearances. Ekblad will return to Florida's top pairing in the 2025-26 campaign, and he should see plenty of time on the power play.