FLA Live Arena, Home to the Florida Panthers – Sunrise, FL – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Felix Mizioznikov
Aaron Ekblad, a defenseman with the Florida Panthers, was given a 20-game suspension by the NHL on Monday for breaking its performance-enhancing substance policy.
Ekblad claimed that it was “a shock” that he had failed what he claimed was a random drug test in a statement issued by the NHLPA. “Something to help me recover from recent injuries” was something Ekblad added, although he hadn’t confirmed with the team beforehand.
Ekblad and the NHL did not specify the nature of the chemical.
In almost seven years, Ekblad is the first NHL player to receive a suspension for using performance-enhancing substances. The last instance occurred in 2018, when Nate Schmidt, Ekblad’s current Panthers teammate, received a 20-game suspension for breaking the rule.
The 29-year-old defenseman Ekblad has been a member of the Panthers since 2014 and helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2024. With the fourth-most assists (30) on the club, he has been an integral member of the Panthers this season.
Due to an upper-body ailment that the team first chose not to reveal, Ekblad missed seven games in January. On January 25, he was back in the lineup.
Ekblad’s ban is probably going to last until the postseason because there are still 18 games left in the regular season.
The Panthers are already in a strong position to make the playoffs, even though the remainder of the season might be more difficult without Ekblad and without the injured Matthew Tkachuk. With one of the league’s best records and a dominant lead in the Atlantic Division, Florida is poised to defend its Stanley Cup title.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
