Florida Panthers: Aaron Ekblad Needs to Get Going Offensively
The Florida Panthers have been on a roll lately, winning their last two games. But one player who has yet to make a mark is defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
It’s been a quiet campaign for the 6’4″, 220 lb Canadian defenseman. In 12 games played, the 22-year-old has recorded just two assists, failing to get his name on the goal column.
But while his start to the 2018-19 campaign couldn’t have started any slower, it’s worth noting that he looks more comfortable as of late, thanks to the change in the defensive pairings.
At the start of the season, Boughner placed Ek with his usual partner: Keith Yandle. The two have played side-by-side on the blue line for a while now, but instant chemistry was never really found.
Many fans and pundits have called for the two to be separated over the past couple of seasons, and finally… that wish came true.
Better yet, Panther fans got both their wishes, with the first being that the two would be separated and the second being that Ek would finally gain a full-time opportunity to play alongside Mike Matheson.
Since the duo formed, Aaron got off to a quick start, grabbing two assists in his first two games with his new defensive partner. Since then, however, Ekblad’s jets have cooled and we haven’t seen production since.
If we take into account Ekblad’s annual salary of $7.5M, fans do have the right to demand more from their former Calder-winning defenseman, as he hasn’t exactly been playing like a No. 1 d-man.
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But it’s worth recognizing that his usage hasn’t been the greatest, either. A player who once quarterbacked the Panthers’ power play is now buried on the second unit. His ex-defensive partner, Yandle, wasn’t exactly complimentary, nor what he needed.
We hope that Matheson will be Ekblad’s Campbell down the road from now, providing him the option to jump up in plays. And for a Panthers team that’s scoring like no tomorrow, you can’t go wrong having a second defenseman producing at a consistent level offensively.
Fans not only in Sunrise but around the entire league know Ekblad’s offensive capabilities. After all, he did score 16 goals last season, ranked 2nd among all defensemen in goals.
Did I also mention that he did this all while playing alongside an offensive-defenseman, and one who’s been reckless in the defensive zone for quite some time.
If the Panthers are to make this a memorable season, then they’re going to have to bring the best out of their No. 1 defenseman.
Ekblad holds all the necessary qualities to become a premier d-man in the NHL, but now is the time for him to form his game to take that next big leap in his career.
Whether it’s finding new ways to get on the scoresheet or just simply settling in with his new defensive partner, now is officially the time for Ekblad to come alive and show the league what he’s truly capable of.
Sitting at the very bottom of the standings as of now, the Panthers could sure use another offensive weapon in their arsenal, even if it comes from their blue line.
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