Free Agent Aaron Ekblad: ‘I Bleed’ for the Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad has been with the Florida Panthers for the entirety of his NHL career.

He is not ready to leave.

Ekblad is one of three high-profile free agents the Panthers have to deal with following the end of the Stanley Cup Final.

Sam Bennett is Florida’s top priority.

But Ekblad is considered a high priority for the Florida front office as well.

Ekblad has been Florida’s top defenseman on their right side almost since the Panthers drafted him with the first overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, but he is in the final year of an eight-year deal he signed in 2016.

A native of Windsor, Ontario, Ekblad has become a true South Floridian and it would be strange to see him playing anywhere else.

Perhaps unlikely as well.

During Tuesday’s media day at the Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Ekblad was asked by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald about his contract status and what his future may hold with the organization.

He said the thought that he may not be with the Panthers next season “has come into my mind, one way or another.’’

As he has done numerous times before this season, Ekblad made it clear he wants to go nowhere else.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” Ekblad said. “Everyone knows where I stand. Listen, this team   … I live and breathe for the Florida Panthers. I bleed for the Florida Panthers. I have given my body and everything to this team. I want to keep doing it forever. As long as they let me come to the rink.’’

This has been a wild season for Ekblad, who missed time in January after appearing to injure his wrist when blocking a shot — then being suspended 20 games by the NHL for failing a drug test.

Ekblad said he took something for his injury which had not been run by the team’s medical staff.

After missing the first two games of the playoffs, Ekblad scored the game-winning goal in Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Only he was suspended two more games for his hit on Brandon Hagel.

“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster for myself,’’ Ekblad said. “You’re playing for your life, in a sense, right? It has been a fun experience playing in a contract year, and I am happy with the way things have gone.’’

The Panthers, according to PuckPedia has about $19 million under the salary cap for next season with Bennett and Ekblad expected to eat up a large portion of that.

Florida also needs to resign Mackie Samoskevich, its entire fourth line, a backup goalie, and only has five defensemen under contract.

Brad Marchand, who will command much more than what the Panthers can likely offer, is also a free agent.

Ekblad is in the final year of that eight-year contract which paid him $7.5 million annually.

Right now, the focus is on winning the Stanley Cup for a second straight year.

“I truly believe that after you win one, you want it that much more,’’ Ekblad said of his team’s focus going into the Final.

2025 STANLEY CUP FINAL

GAME 1

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ EDMONTON OILERS

Best-of-7 Series

• When: Wednesday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton
• National TV: TNT/truTV 
• National Streaming: Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys), SiriusXM
• Radio Streaming: SiriusXM, NHL App
• Series Schedule (all games at 8 p.m., TNT) — Game 1: @Edmonton Wednesday; Game 2: @Edmonton Friday; Game 3:@Florida Monday; Game 4: @Florida, Thursday June 12; Game 5*: @Edmonton, Saturday June 14; Game 6*: @Florida, Tuesday June 17; Game 7*: @Edmonton, Friday June 20.
• Regular Season (Panthers won 2-0) — At Florida: Panthers 4, Oilers 3 (Feb. 27). At Edmonton: Panthers 6, Oilers 5 (Dec. 16).
• How They Got Here: Edmonton d. Los Angeles (6), Vegas (5), Dallas (5); Florida d. Tampa Bay (5), Toronto (7), Carolina (5)
• Postseason History: Florida Won 2024 Stanley Cup Final 4-3
• All-time Regular Season Series: Oilers lead 23-18-0, 3 ties