Superstar defenseman Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers has frequently been mentioned in rumors since the team’s inaugural Stanley Cup victory and his impending free agency—he will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025.
Lyle Richardson of The Hockey News reports that Ekblad is anticipated to remain with the organization for the 2024–25 season, despite the persistent trade rumors that have him on a plane off Florida.
“The off-season departure of Brandon Montour means Ekblad could be logging top-pairing right-side minutes on their blueline this season,” Richardson wrote on August 23. “Trading him now would further deplete their right-side depth.
“Expect Ekblad to play out this season with the defending Stanley Cup champions.
” Ekblad’s name has been mentioned in trade discussions since June, but Richardson believes the 28-year-old will remain a crucial part of the Panthers’ roster at least through the end of the season.
The blueliner, however, is entering the final season of an eight-year, $60 million contract signed in July 2016, per PuckPedia. Ekblad will carry a cap hit of $7.5 million next season, and his deal includes a modified no-trade clause allowing him to block trades to 12 teams before the next trade deadline.
This, coupled with the presumed Panthers’ commitment to keeping together their championship-winning roster for another run, makes a potential trade hard to envision.
That said, the Panthers could opt to move the player before they lose him for nothing next summer, and perhaps also because of health concerns. Ekblad has struggled with injuries in recent years, playing just 51 games last season. The defenseman, in fact, has not completed a full 82-game season since 2018-19.
