2nd Defensive Leading Scorer: Aaron Ekblad
Aaron Ekblad is the Panthers’ highest paid player on the team. Last year due to some injury issues, Ekblad only played in 68 games where he finished with a total of only 21 points. This low number was the lowest in the three years of Ekblad’s career.
In a recent interview, Ekblad stated that he is ready to really take his game to a higher level. It seems like Ekblad’s expectations for himself are extremely high for this year. While Aaron may finish a little bit under Yandle’s scoring for this year, expect Ekblad to return to his normal playing ability and hopefully lead the Panthers back to the playoffs. If Ekblad can stay healthy, he should have a great season.
Prediction: 15 goals, 27 assists and 42 points.