Trade Speculation Still Swirls About Panthers Defenseman Aaron Ekblad

The Florida Panthers need to clear some cap space, which has led to ongoing trade speculation about defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Would a move make sense?

During a Tuesday interview with TSN's Jay Onrait, ESPN's Emily Kaplan was asked about rumors the Florida Panthers could move Aaron Ekblad to free up cap space.

The 28-year-old defenseman has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.5 million. He also has a 12-team no-trade list for 2024-25.

Kaplan said it's difficult for the Panthers to keep their roster together despite their players being willing to accept less than market value to stay in Florida. She also pointed out their front office is unafraid to make hard decisions.

While unable to confirm the Ekblad trade rumors, Kaplan indicated the Panthers are aggressive, and it wouldn't surprise her if they moved the blueliner for a return that improved the team.

Ekblad first surfaced in the speculation and rumor mill in Steve Simmons' Toronto Sun column on June 2. He claimed the Panthers could look into moving him to free up cap room to re-sign Brandon Montour, but Montour signed with the Seattle Kraken on July 1. 

Nevertheless, the speculation persisted during late June as free agency approached.

On June 27, The Hockey News' David Dwork cited The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta, claiming the Panthers were shopping Ekblad. Three days later, Rob Couch referenced Pagnotta, saying the blueliner was willing to accept a hometown discount to stay in Florida, but the Panthers were shopping him anyway. 

Those rumored trade efforts may have been hampered by Ekblad's no-movement clause, which was in effect until July 1, when it became a modified no-trade list. Interested clubs could've asked Florida to retain part of his cap space. That would've been a deal-breaker, as the supposed intent of trading Ekblad is to clear his cap hit from the Panthers' books.

The Panthers aren't under any serious pressure to trade Ekblad. They're above the $88-million cap by almost $934,000 with 24 active roster players under contract. Management can easily address that issue by demoting a low-salaried depth player or two to the minors before the start of the season.

Montour's departure could also make them reluctant to part with Ekblad. They'll need him if they hope to defend their Stanley Cup title successfully.

Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here.