Aaron Ekblad returns to Florida Panthers lineup after 7-game absence
Ekblad was injured during Florida's 5-1 win over Calgary on March 9
The Florida Panthers are going to be back at full strength when they host the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
That’s right, Florida top pairing defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to the lineup, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice confirmed after the team’s morning skate in Fort Lauderdale.
Over the past month, Florida has played without several key players due to a plethora of reasons, from injuries to illness to suspension.
In addition to Ekblad, Sasha Barkov, Dmitry Kulikov, Evan Rodrigues, Gus Forsling and Jonah Gadjovich have all missed time.
Ekblad last played on March 9. He collided with teammate Vladimir Tarasenko and went down with a lower-body injury.
Last week Ekblad was spotted on the ice before a Panthers practice skating in a tracksuit, which was the first sign he was nearing a return to the lineup.
Maurice had said initially that Ekblad’s injury would keep him out for a minimum of two weeks, after which he’d be considered day-to-day.
This past Saturday was the two-week mark, and after Ekblad joined his teammates in full gear for their morning skate on Tuesday, it seemed like it was only a matter of time until his return.
On Thursday, Ekblad joined Forsling, his usual defensive partner, on Florida’s top pairing.
The Panthers have 10 games remaining until the playoffs arrive.
Entering play Thursday, Florida is two points behind the Boston Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division with two games in hand.
The puck drops against the Islanders at 7 p.m. from Amerant Bank Arena.
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