2025 Stanley Cup Champions
NHL Free Agency: Aaron Ekblad Staying with the Panthers
Aaron Ekblad could have left the Florida Panthers when the NHL opens up free agency on Tuesday afternoon, but the defenseman is not going anywhere and, with the length of this new deal, should retire as a member of the organization.
Pierre LeBrun reports it is an eight-year maximum deal around $6 million per season.
Ekblad just completed an eight-year contract which paid an average of $7.5 million.
The Panthers now have their core locked up at least through 2030 with Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Gus Forsling, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, and Ekblad all signed on long-term deals.
UPDATE: Add Brad Marchand to that list. He agreed to a six-year deal not long after Ekblad did.
The top pick of the 2014 NHL Draft,ย Ekblad has spent his entire 11-year NHL career with the Panthers.
And that will continue.
A two-time All-Star, Ekblad was Floridaโs second Calder Trophy winner (Jonathan Huberdeau) as Rookie of the Year in 2015 when the Panthers made a 25-point improvement in the standings.
Ekblad is also a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Panthers, and has been part of seven playoff teams during his time in Florida.
The Panthers, who had $11 million under the NHL salary cap per PuckPedia appear to be bringing back six of their top seven defensemen from the 2025 Stanley Cup championship team.
With Ekblad in, the Panthers have around $4 million remaining under the cap with new backup goalie Daniil Tarasov taking up around $1 million.
The Panthers likely will not be able to match whatever Nate Schmidt gets on the open market as he is expected to get something in the $3 million per season range. Based on his past season, perhaps more.
Florida may not be able to re-sign Brad Marchand unless he agrees to a bonus-laden deal with Florida.
Marchand could sign a contract with a small cap hit based off a signing bonus with easy-to-reach bonuses paying most of the contract. Those bonus overages do not count against this yearโs cap, but next yearโs when it goes up by $8.5 million.
Stay tuned.
2024 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS 2025
FLORIDA PANTHERS
UP NEXT
- Start of NHL Free Agency: Tuesday, noon
- Panthers Development Camp, Fort Lauderdale IcePlex: Today-Thursday
- Panthers Rookie Camp, Fort Lauderdale IcePlex: Early September
- Prospect Showcase @ Tampa Bay Lightning: Early September, Wesley Chapel
- Training Camp: Mid-September
- Exhibition Games: Starts Sept. 21 @ Nashville (doubleheader)
- Opening Night: Oct 7-9 (opponent, time, date TBA)
