Florida Panthers get a MASSIVE boost ahead of their playoff series

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C. Ritchie
May 2, 2022 (5:06 PM)

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Aaron Ekblad hasn't played an NHL game since March 17th when he fell awkwardly into the boards and hurt his right leg. A few days later, the Florida Panther put Ekblad on long-termed injured reserve, ending his regular season. Before the injury Ekblad looked to be on pace for a Norris Trophy nomination. He had 57 points in 61 games, a plus/minus of +38, all while playing an average of 24:55 per game. At 5 on 5, Ekblad had a Goals Above Expected of +4.8, which was good for 7th in the league. The only big name defenceman with better 5-on-5 numbers was Cale Makar. But on Monday there was good news for the team's star defenseman.

At the team's on-ice practice, Ekblad was a full participant for the first time since March. He was paired with his regular defensive partner MacKenzie Weager on the top pairing. This would be a huge boost for the Florida Panthers as Ekblad is by far their most important defenseman.

If Ekblad is cleared to play Game 1 of their series against the Washington Capitals, it will be a huge morale boost for the Panthers to have their defensive leader back. MacKenzie Weager said it best when Ekblad returned to the ice.

I gave him a big hug. I was pumping his tires a bit yesterday. It's great to have him back. He means a lot to me.