Aaron Ekblad has poured his heart and soul into the Florida Panthers organization, being selected No. 1 overall in the 2014 NHL Draft and helping bring a Stanley Cup to South Beach for the first time ever a decade later.
The 28-year-old is now immortalized in Panthers lore — along with every other person involved in the championship season — but he might not be long for Sunrise. The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported on Thursday that, as the Cats navigate a tricky offseason with 11 pending free agents on July 1, Ekblad is emerging as a potential trade chip for general manager Bill Zito.
“According to multiple well-placed sources, the Panthers are shopping 2014 first-overall pick Aaron Ekblad, who is entering the final year of his contract, and have already had discussions with some teams about his availability,” wrote the hockey insider. “Ekblad, 28, will see his full no-movement clause shift to a 12-team no-trade list July 1, when he is also due a $3 million signing bonus.”
On Friday, Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman addressed the speculation.
“Dave Pagnotta wrote about Aaron Ekblad potentially being available, I don't know that to be true but I'm not saying he's wrong because that rumour has been going around for awhile,” Friedman confirmed on the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. “Ekblad is going from a no-move clause to a partial and there's definitely been some talk that could happen.”
With both Pagnotta and Friedman confirming that Ekblad could indeed be traded, it's looking like the Canadian's last game as a Panther was the same one that saw him hoist Lord Stanley at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night.
What could return look like for Stanley Cup champion Aaron Ekblad?
Ekblad is entering the final season of a contract that will pay him $7.5 million in 2023-24. He will earn a signing bonus of $3 million on July 1 before his no-trade clause is reduced to 12 teams.
The former Barrie Colts defenseman recorded 18 points in 51 games last season, adding another six points over 24 Stanley Cup Playoff contests. And with the trade market for right-handed D-men nowhere near as hot as the free agent market, Zito could likely get a solid return for the standout blue liner.
“It is unclear what the Panthers are looking for in exchange for Ekblad, who recently switched agents and is also no longer represented by Dave Gagner at Wasserman Hockey,” wrote Pagnotta. “It is my understanding his preference is to stay in South Florida and that he would be willing to take a ‘hometown discount' on an extension, but that hasn’t prevented Panthers GM Bill Zito from exploring the trade market.
“Several teams are looking to acquire a top-pair defenceman, especially one with a right shot, most prominent being the Utah Hockey Club, Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators.”
At first glance, Ekblad looks to be a decent fit on any of those three teams, and recouping that cap space could be key for Zito as he makes a few other difficult decisions. Sam Reinhart, who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 7, needs a hefty raise as a UFA on July 1. So does Brandon Montour, who has been excellent in Sunrise over the past two seasons.
The goal is to not take a step back next year, but that's going to be very difficult for the Panthers' front office. It will be very intriguing to see how the dominoes fall ahead of free agency, and whether Ekblad is still part of the equation come training camp.
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