Lyle Richardson of The Hockey News believes that Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will remain with the team until the end of the season, regardless of how his contract situation plays out. Ekblad’s name has appeared in trade rumors dating back to June before the Panthers won the Stanley Cup, and the rumors have continued through the summer. Ekblad has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.5M and can block trades to 12 teams thanks to a partial no-trade clause.
The former first-overall pick is entering his 11th season with the Panthers and has been a steady presence since joining the team. While it seems odd that Florida wouldn’t be discussing an extension with their top defenseman, they have several key free agents next summer and must look at the long-term cap implications of signing everyone. Another concern for Florida will be Ekblad’s health, as the 28-year-old hasn’t played a full slate of games since 2018-19 and has played 82 games just twice in his career. He is also coming off a season in which he played just 51 games, tallied just four goals and 14 assists, and will be looking for top dollar.
