George Richards, FHN Publisher
When Aaron Ekblad showed up for the 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia, he had a good idea he would be the first overall pick. He was unsure whether it would be the Florida Panthers who selected him.
In the days leading up to the draft, general manager Dale Tallon made it known he would consider trading the top pick “for the right price.’’
After all, Tallon and the Panthers had already taken Jonathan Huberdeau third overall in 2011 and Sasha Barkov second in 2013.
When the Panthers ran out the clock, it was apparent no deal was in place even though Philadelphia, Toronto, and Vancouver had made substantial offers.
Tallon strode to the podium at Wells Fargo Center, made his introductory comments, and announced the Panthers were “proud to select from the Ontario Hockey League” before pausing for effect.
The cameras panned to Ekblad.
“It was breathtaking,’’ Ekblad said, “to say the least.’’
But the suspense was over.
Ekblad was going to be part of the Florida Panthers.
“It’s exciting. Florida has a young core and wants to win a Stanley Cup,” Ekblad said then.
“This team will be pretty good in a couple of years, and I want to be part of it. I just want to help out.”
Florida had just hired Gerard Gallant as their new coach, and he was thrilled Ekblad would be on his team.
The Panthers not only turned down trade offers but decided a high-end defenseman was the right pick for them as they considered forwards Sam Reinhart (second-overall, Sabres), Leon Draisaitl (Oilers), and Sam Bennett (Flames).
As it turns out, the Panthers would eventually end up with three of the top four picks from that draft anyway.
“We knew the kid wanted to come to Florida, wanted to be the first pick,’’ Gallant said of Ekblad. “The kid knew he was coming when he walked out of our meeting. Dale entertained all options. But I think he was always going to use it. He wanted that kid.”
Things certainly have worked out for both Ekblad and the Panthers.
Last Wednesday, Ekblad played in his 655th NHL game — all, of course, with the Panthers — good for third-most in franchise history.
He passed Stephen Weiss, who had held the franchise record for games played from when he left as a free agent in 2013 until Huberdeau took the lead in 2022.
Barkov passed Huberdeau for the franchise record in November, and barring injury, Ekblad will also move past Huberdeau — this time for second — when he plays Game No. 672 next month.
Just don’t tell Ekblad.
He does not want to be jinxed.
“I am happy to have been here for this long,’’ Ekblad said last week. “There have been a lot of ups-and-downs, a lot of hard work. I have followed the lead of Barky and Huby over the years and now we have guys like Chucky, Benny, Reino and all these great players who make it fun. It has been a great experience playing for this team. It has never been easy, but I have had a lot of fun.’’
Over the past decade, Ekblad has become a Florida lifer.
Not only has he become one of the most recognizable players on the team — his gigantic photo on the front of the team’s arena in Sunrise certainly does not hurt — but he and his wife Dayna have made South Florida their year-round home.
Ekblad grew up in Windsor, Ont., across the river from Detroit, where he idolized the Red Wings.
Make no mistake: Ekblad is all Panther now.
“We have survived,” Ekblad said in 2022 when asked about his and Barkov’s longevity with the Panthers after Huberdeau was traded to Calgary.
“Change makes sense. A team that is trying to build a winning culture will change constantly, or you’re just doing the same thing over and over. You have to change if you don’t win. That’s just the business of hockey, and a stagnant salary cap certainly doesn’t help anyone. It is all understandable in this situation. In this day and age, teams are never satisfied.”
Ekblad first appeared on the South Florida scene in 2014 when he arrived at a development camp shortly after being drafted.
He signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Panthers before camp opened and won the franchise’s second Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie that season.
Huberdeau won the first two years prior.
“I remember looking at him when he first came in and saying ‘no way this kid is 18’,” said Nick Bjugstad, whose first full NHL season came during Ekblad’s rookie season in 2014-15.
“He had more facial hair at 18 than I do now at 31. But, from practice No. 1, there was no doubt he was going to be an impact player. Because of where he was drafted, he came in with high expectations. But with his demeanor, he oozed confidence. That kind of separates young guys who come in and have success right away.
“He came in and knew he could play with the big boys. And he did. It was fun watching him grow up. He is steady and consistent and just a terrific guy. We had fun times and he is a good friend. I am excited to see his career continue and where he takes it.”
Said Tallon at the draft: “He’s 18 going on 30.”
There have been plenty of ups and downs for Ekblad and the Panthers over the years.
After not making the playoffs as a rookie, Florida won the Atlantic Division in 2015-16 as Ekblad went to his second All-Star Game with Jaromir Jagr, Roberto Luongo, and Gallant.
The Panthers did not make it back to the postseason until the expanded Covid bubble in 2020.
Of course, they have now made it four straight years — and are about to make it five.
If you count that Toronto bubble year, of course.
“Four in a row, that counts,” Ekblad said with emphasis the day after Florida clinched a spot in the playoffs last spring when Chicago upset the Penguins.
“Making the playoffs three straight years is an accomplishment in itself and it is exciting around here. We were all watching that Pittsburgh game and I guarantee you there isn’t a player in here who missed a second of that third period. We were on the edge of our seats. My wife was sleeping on the couch and I woke her up on those three goals. It is an opportunity to have a clean slate and play hard in the playoffs. This is a great time of year.”
Injuries have also slowed Ekblad over the years, as a pair of injuries cut short his seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Last year, Ekblad fought through numerous injuries and needed shoulder surgery following his team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final.
But these are the best times for Ekblad and the Panthers as the team looks to build on last summer’s magical run.
Florida went into this year’s All-Star break riding a four-game winning streak — the Panthers have gone 13-2-2 in their past 17 — and, yes Aaron, are set to make the postseason for a fifth straight year.
“We feel like we are in a great team and we continue to be a playoff team,” Ekblad said last week.
“Our goal is to win games in the regular season, but the ultimate goal is to win games in the playoffs. It is a completely different game and it is hard to do it for 82 games. But we’re working on it.”