The Rat Trick
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Florida Panthers: The Rat Trick’s End of Season Awards

By Cal Friedman

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 7: A plastic victory rat sits on the ice after the Florida Panthers 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres at the BB
SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 7: A plastic victory rat sits on the ice after the Florida Panthers 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres at the BB /
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“Ed Jovanovski” Defenseman of the Season

SUNRISE, FL – MARCH 24: Max Domi
SUNRISE, FL – MARCH 24: Max Domi /

Danny Janicas: Aaron Ekblad

Kevin Fielder: Keith Yandle

Sam Golub: Aaron Ekblad

Jacob Langsam: Mark Pysyk

Kirby Lupul: Keith Yandle

Luke Kendall: Keith Yandle

Jonathan Reichenberger: Keith Yandle

T.J. Peterson: Michael Matheson

Cal Friedman: Keith Yandle

Jake Tucker: Keith Yandle

"“Aaron Ekblad proved he’s worthy of the enormous contract extension given by registering this best offensive season to date. He improved defensively and even played all 82 games this season despite recovering from past concussions… outstanding play, and kept Florida in the playoff hunt until the very end of the season” – Sam Golub"

"“Keith Yandle’s ability to consistently put up points makes him irreplaceable for a team like the Panthers. While he can be shaky at times in the defensive zone, he had gotten used to the Panthers’ system and he’s done much better compared to the previous year. His effectiveness on the power play is crucial as he not only serves as the ‘quarterback’ of the power play, but also like another forward on the ice.” – Jonathan Reichenberger"

"“The Panthers’ defense was one of the best scoring defenses in the entire NHL. However, when it came to the defense playing… well… defense, the group as a whole was not very good. The team’s penalty differential was -37, with Mark Pysyk being the only Panthers’ defenseman to even be positive in that metric. Mark Pysyk probably played the best defense of any Panthers defenseman this season, with the lowest shot attempts against per 60 minutes, often against other teams’ top competitions. He also led the top two pairings in expected goals for percentage.” – Jacob Langsam"

"“This year, Aaron Ekblad turned things around. He was sharp within his own zone, improving on the little things defensively (like positioning). But what was great to see was his spark upfront, giving the fans a little nostalgic feeling from his first couple of seasons in a Cats uniform. Aaron’s numbers entirely improved compared to his miserable campaign the season before, and it’s safe to say that the old Aaron Ekblad is back, fresh, and healthy!”  – Danny Janicas"

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