Panthers top defenseman Aaron Ekblad suspended 20 games
Florida Panthers top defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance enhancing substances program.
The league’s announcement Monday included that, per the collective bargaining agreement, the suspension came with a mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA program for substance abuse and behavioral health, where Ekblad will undergo evaluation and possible treatment.
Ekblad released a statement via the NHL Players’ Association shortly after the suspension was made public.
“The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock,” Ekblad said. “Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel. I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.”
The Panthers have only 18 regular-season games remaining. Ekblad’s first career suspension will now keep him out until early in a potential first-round playoff series. Florida is in first place in the Atlantic Division.
Ekblad, 29, has anchored the Panthers’ top pairing this season alongside Gustav Forsling, producing three goals and 33 points in 56 games. He has spent his 11-year career in Florida, helping the Panthers reach a Stanley Cup Final in 2023 and win a championship in 2024. Ekblad is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
This is the league’s first PED-related suspension since Nate Schmidt — then with the Vegas Golden Knights — received a 20-game ban.
Brad Marchand wore something with his new team’s logo on it for the first time Sunday night.
He was FaceTiming his kids. There was a Florida Panthers hat on the table in front of him.
“We were about to hang up … and I was like, ‘Before you go, look at this,'” Marchand said. “And I put it on. It was a weird feeling.”
Marchand still felt a little strange fully dressed in Panthers gear Monday morning: a red jacket with the logo emblazoned on the front and a matching navy blue Florida hat on his head.
But it’s a feeling he’s starting to get used to just three days after being traded to Florida from the Boston Bruins, where hed spent his entire 16-season NHL career.
“It has been a whirlwind here the last few days,” Marchand said at his introductory news conference on Monday.
The former Bruins captain reflected on a successful career in Boston that included a 2011 Stanley Cup championship, 422 goals, 554 assists and 4 All-Star nods. He held back tears as he thanked Boston general manager Don Sweeney, the Bruins organization and fans for “great memories.” He fired off witty jokes about joining a team that has known him as more of a pest than pal.
“It’s extremely exciting to be a part of such an incredible group,” Marchand said. “And when I walked into the room the other day, I literally had flashbacks to the year that (the Bruins) won. When you walk in here and you see the way the guys interact and the relationships that they have … it shows why they’ve been a pillar in the league the last few years.”
Marchand had been in talks with the Bruins on a contract extension before this past Friday’s NHL trade deadline, but Boston ultimately decided to deal Marchand as the two sides couldn’t agree to terms, shipping off its longest-tenured player and only remaining member of its 2011 championship team.
Marchand said he was disappointed when the trade initially happened. He would have loved to stay in Boston. He took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe to thank the Bruins for helping him “achieve my dream of playing in the National Hockey League.”
As reality has set in, Marchand said he’s thrilled to be joining a team that looks primed for a championship run. He adds more skill and experience for the defending Stanley Cup champs, who already have plenty of star veterans.
The Panthers are 40-21-3 and in first place in the Atlantic division — four points ahead of second-place Toronto. Florida has won its past six games, has outscored its opponents 20-5 during that stretch and has given up just one goal in its past four games.
Sam Reinhart leads the bunch with 32 goals, seventh-most in the NHL. Captain Aleksander Barkov has a team-leading 43 assists. Two-time Vezina Trophy-winning starter Sergei Bobrovsky’s .907 save percentage is the fifth-best in the league.
Things were much different in Boston, where the Bruins, sitting at seventh in the Atlantic, initiated a rebuild one season after another early playoff exit.
“Ultimately we chase the Stanley Cup,” Marchand said. “And you want a chance at playing for that every single year. You never know how long you have in this league. You never know when your last day is going to be and you want to make the most of it.
“I feel rejuvenated coming here.”
Marchand is a known leader with a sometimes brash personality. He said he’s not looking to come in and take over a team that already has good chemistry and plenty of leadership, but he also won’t change who he is.
“I just have kind of an outgoing personality,” Marchand said. “When I get in a room and games on ice, my competitiveness kind of takes over. I get a little bit vocal and emotional at times. The great thing about when you’re part of a really good group, especially in the hockey culture, is guys don’t take things personally.”
He’s already getting acquainted with some of his new teammates.
He and Sam Bennett already have a history after he took a controversial shot to the head from Bennett during a second-round playoff series between Florida and Boston this past year.
Bennett and Marchand also played together for Canada during this past month’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
“Yeah, still a scumbag,” Marchand quipped. “No, Benny is great. We get along really, really well. I wasn’t surprised that we would get along. As much as you don’t want things like that to happen to you, I’ve been on the other side of that. And I know things like that happen because you’re competing. I loved being his teammate. … I’m sure my jaw is really looking forward to playing with him.”
The Panthers begin a six-game road trip at Boston on Tuesday. Marchand will travel with the team but remains out with an upper-body injury sustained in a March 1 game against Pittsburgh.
Coach Paul Maurice expects it to be emotional. He wants to give Marchand the space to take it all in.
“It’s not just your average trade,” Maurice said. “This is a player that was the fabric of the team and a storied franchise that has had very few captains over the years. This is a big, big deal. And it needs to be respected.”
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Panthers’ Ekblad Suspended 20 Games
NEW YORK (March 10, 2025) – Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment.
The National Hockey League will have no further comment on this matter.
### (3/10/25)
