Aaron Ekblad’s power-play goal was the lone Panthers score called by Randy Moller in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on April 5, 2015. With 39 points that season, the defenseman was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year.

Just two years after Jonathan Huberdeau became the first Cat to win the Calder Memorial Trophy, Aaron Ekblad brought the honor back to South Florida. The defenseman had a season that any player would be proud of, leading the team in plus-minus (+12) and earning an impressive 39 points. Not bad for a rookie!

In the franchise’s 30th anniversary season, the Florida Panthers became Stanley Cup champions. Fans had remained loyal for three decades and were ecstatic when the Panthers brought home Lord Stanley for the first time. Aaron Ekblad, a 10-year team veteran who had seen his fair share of ups and downs, felt the same way. “The […]

Aaron Ekblad celebrated his bobblehead night by assisting on Evan Rodrigues’ game-winning power-play goal in the third period as the Panthers defeated the Dallas Stars, 5-4. In his 10th season with the Cats, Ekblad had seen more of the ups and downs than most. He noted, “Every player that plays here has pride in wearing […]

It’s not easy to defend Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. A five-time Art Ross Trophy winner, McDavid led all skaters in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 42 points and an NHL-record 34 assists. But Aaron Ekblad and the Panthers were prepared, holding McDavid to just three goals in the Stanley Cup Final and without […]

MacKenzie Weeger commemorated his 200th career game by recording an assist and helping the Panthers defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, 6-3. The defenseman took on a bigger role late in the 2020-2021 season, scoring a then career-high 36 points after fellow blueliner Aaron Ekblad was sidelined with injuries. “When [Ekblad] went down, I kind of just […]

In his 699th career NHL game — regular season and playoffs — Sam Bennett was finally able to lift the Stanley Cup. “He’s a quiet man, but his style of game and his personality is something we’re trying to emulate — Everybody should play a little bit more like Sam Bennett,” coach Paul Maurice said. […]

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has a tradition dating back to 2018 where he wears a special Hockey Fights Cancer mask before it’s auctioned off for charity. The 2018 recipient summed it up best: “He doesn’t have [cancer]. He did it because he knows that it’s special to other people.” The good vibes worked for the […]

Florida’s blueliners Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad are a tight pair. When asked what his fellow defenseman means to the team, Ekblad replied: “A whole hell of a lot.” He continued, “It puts a smile on your face when you get to see him and he’s cracking jokes and having fun and making practices better.” […]

Aaron Ekblad was a late addition to the 2015 All-Star Game roster. After Colorado’s Erik Johnson was injured, Ekblad was tapped as a substitute. The nature of his selection led the defenseman to say that he “didn’t deserve” to be in the competition, but the results tell a different story. With four assists, Ekblad was […]