Florida Panthers players take part in a full team skate on Nov. 30 at Bell Centre in Montreal. Aaron Ekblad has had a front row seat to the transformation of the Florida Panthers franchise. Selected first overall at the 2014 NHL Draft, Ekblad is playing in his tenth season with the Panthers despite being just 27 years old. He and Panthers captain Sasha Barkov have been with the team the longest – Barkov was taken second overall by Florida in 2013 – and have experienced some high highs and some low lows. Being tasked with turning around a franchise that had recently gone over a decade between playoff appearances is something that comes with the territory of being a number one draft pick, whether fairly or not. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] About halfway into Ekblad’s tenure in South Florida, things took a sharp turn for the better. He spoke about it on Thursday with Kevin Weekes and Jason Demers of the NHL Network. [https://twitter.com/NHLNetwork/status/1730255375088210185] “The organization has been on an upward trajectory ever since I’ve gotten here, and ever since (Panthers General Manager) Bill Zito took over its been exponential growth year over year,” Ekblad said. “Every player that plays here has pride in wearing the jersey. It’s a lot of fun to play for the Florida Panthers.” Florida has reached the postseason each year since Zito was hired in September of 2020. In 2022, the Panthers won their first playoff series since 1996. In 2023 they marched all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The groundwork first laid by Ekblad and Barkov had been fortified with a plethora of key signings and additions by Zito and his staff, and now Florida is one of top, Cup contending clubs in all of hockey. So now, finally, Panthers players can say they have it all; legitimately competing for the Stanley Cup and doing so while living in beautiful South Florida. Both of the men interviewing Ekblad on Thursday had also donned a Florida sweater at some point during their respective NHL careers, so they each understood the perks that come with playing hockey and living in a tropical climate. But neither enjoyed the kind of success that Ekblad and his teammates have earned. “It’s as good as it gets,” Ekblad said. “I’m maxing out the pension here in Florida right now. It’s awesome. I’m so happy.” After this season, Ekblad will have one year remaining on his contract, which carries an average annual value (AAV) of $7.5 million. He’ll be 29 if and when he hits free agency but has made no secret about wanting to continue his career in South Florida. Considering Ekblad is still under contract through next season, Zito and his staff have a few players who will potentially hit free agency this summer – Brandon Montour, Sam Reinhart and Gus Forsling, to name a few – that require more immediate attention. It surely must be a good feeling for Zito to know, though, that when the time comes next year to shift that attention to one of the team’s foundational pieces, Ekblad is very motivated to remain with the Panthers. Sure, things could change in a year, but Ekblad has been incredibly consistent during his career, both on and off the ice, so why change now? “I want to play my whole career here,” Ekblad said. “I’m not shy about saying that and I really hope that’s the case.” LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Panthers can make Canadian road trip a success with win in Montreal [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-can-make-canadian-road-trip-a-success-with-win-in-montreal] Matthew Tkachuk fashion sense receives high praise in latest NHL Style Rankings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/matthew-tkachuk-fashion-sense-receives-high-praise-in-latest-nhl-style-rankings] ‘We’re playing the right way’: Panthers pleased with team effort on tough Canadian road trip [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/features/were-playing-the-right-way-panthers-pleased-with-team-effort-on-tough-canadian-road-trip] Three takeaways: Panthers penalty kill surging, team focused on sustaining success [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/features/three-takeaways-panthers-penalty-kill-surging-team-focused-on-sustaining-success] Goaltending shines as Panthers drop frustrating game to Toronto in a shootout [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/goaltending-shines-as-panthers-drop-frustrating-game-to-toronto-in-a-shootout] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
