Ekblad (upper body) practiced Friday and head coach Paul Maurice said "there's a chance" the defenseman plays Saturday versus the Sharks.
Ekblad was on the top pairing during the practice session, which is a good sign that he's close to a return. If he can't play Saturday, the Panthers are in action again Sunday versus the Golden Knights. Ekblad's return will likely lead to Tobias Bjornfot exiting the lineup.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Won't play Wednesday
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Ekblad (upper body) won't play Wednesday against the Kings but is making progress toward a return, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Remains out Tuesday
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Ekblad (upper body) will not be in the lineup versus Anaheim on Tuesday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
At this point, Ekblad should probably be considered a significant doubt to play Wednesday versus the Kings as well -- 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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Making progress
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Ekblad (upper body) skated before Monday's practice and felt better than he thought he would, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Not available Saturday
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Ekblad (undisclosed) will be out of the lineup versus Anaheim on Saturday, according to Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Unavailable Thursday
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Ekblad (undisclosed) will not be in the lineup versus Detroit on Thursday, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.
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, head coach Paul Maurice said that he was "fairly confident" that Ekblad would be able to play at some point next week, when the Panthers are in California for three games. Ekblad has two goals and 18 assists over 41 appearances this season.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Set to miss next two games
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Ekblad (undisclosed) won't travel with the Panthers for the team's two-game road trip, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports Sunday.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Officially ruled out
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Ekblad (undisclosed) won't play Saturday against Boston, Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post reports.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Doubtful Saturday
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Per Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post, coach Paul Maurice said that Ekblad (undisclosed) is doubtful for Saturday's encounter with Buffalo.
Ekblad missed Friday's practice. He played Wednesday in Utah but sat out the previous game in Colorado on Monday. Tobias Bjornfot could replace the 28-year-old Ekblad in Saturday's lineup.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Set to play Wednesday
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Ekblad (undisclosed) is expected to play versus Utah on Wednesday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Deemed game-time decision
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Ekblad (undisclosed) is considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's matchup against Utah, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Won't play in Colorado
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Ekblad (undisclosed) won't suit up in Monday's road game versus the Avalanche, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.
Ekblad will miss 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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Game-time call
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Ekblad (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision against Colorado on Monday, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.
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 point drought 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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Sets up game-winner
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Ekblad notched a power-play assist and four shots on goal in Friday's 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Chips in with assist
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Ekblad notched an assist and two shots on goal in Monday's 6-5 win over the Oilers.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Finally gets first goal of season
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Ekblad scored a goal Saturday in a 6-0 win over Carolina.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Two apples Friday
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Ekblad threaded two assists in Friday's 6-3 win over the Hurricanes.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Picks up helper
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Ekblad recorded an assist in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Blackhawks.
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.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Dishes three apples in win
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Ekblad notched three assists in Friday's 6-4 win over the Stars.
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. Overall, the Ontario native has produced six assists and a plus-3 rating, but he's yet to find the back of the net in 2024-25.
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Panthers' Aaron Ekblad: Ends drought with two helpers
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Ekblad picked up two assists in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win over the Golden Knights.
The veteran blueliner had failed to record a point in five straight games, but Ekblad got off the schneid by helping set up Sam Reinhart in the second period and Eetu Luostarinen in the third. Adam Boqvist has been handling the point on the Panthers' top power-play unit but has just one assist through his first six contests this season -- Ekblad could reclaim that spot fairly quickly if the latter gets rolling.
