Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for 20 games for violating the NHL’s performance-enhancing substances program, the league announced Monday.
That will cost him the final 18 games of the regular season and the first two games of the playoffs as the Panthers prepare to defend their Stanley Cup title.
He is being referred to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment.
‘The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock,’ Ekblad, 29, said in a statement released through the NHL Players’ Association. ‘Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel.’
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Ekblad, who missed eight games in January, has averaged a team-best 23:31 in ice time, and his 33 points lead Panthers defensemen. He had six points in 24 games during Florida’s playoff run in 2024.
His absence will give more ice time to newly acquired Seth Jones, a fellow right-shot defenseman. The Panthers had traded for Jones to boost their defense after Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson left in free agency last summer.
‘I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down,’ said Ekblad, who’s in the final year of his eight-year contract. ‘For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.”