Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad recently opened up about the process behind his contract extension this offseason. Ekblad signed an eight-year, $48.8 million deal to remain with the only franchise he's played for. The Cats drafted him with the top pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.
The extension is widely regarded as a hometown discount, as Ekblad was considered to be the top defensive free agent this summer. However, he never got to free agency. Instead, the two sides agreed on staying together for the long haul.
In an interview with RG Media published on August 22, Ekblad made his feelings known about the process that led to his new contract.
Ekblad told RG:
"Obviously you want to play for a winner, and when you have this many good players and such a tight group of guys, and we've been doing it for together for so long.”
Indeed, Ekblad is among the team’s core that’s been through some tough times before winning back-to-back championships. The Ontario native expanded on his thoughts, stating:
“Even our wives all love each other. Guys are having kids, we're going to grow up together, and their kids are going to grow up together and hopefully my kids one day. It's a family aspect. It's home where the heart is type of thing. A place is only as good as the people in it and we have great people."
The statement highlights how the Panthers have become a close-knit family. That’s part of the motivation that prompted Ekblad to re-sign with Florida instead of testing the free-agent waters.
Ekblad never lost touch with teammates during the offseason.
Aaron Ekblad and his Panthers teammates never lost touch throughout the offseason. Ekblad described the moments leading up to his contract signing, stating:
"We were in contact, we went to the Bahamas together. Obviously we had conversations about what could or may happen, but at the end of the day, I think a lot of us just left it up to our agents to figure it out. We give them instructions, and they kind of handle the gist of it at least. That's how I felt, personally. I didn't want to get too involved with the negotiation."
Ekblad referred to staying close to Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett. The trio was slated to hit free agency this summer. However, general manager Bill Zito managed to pull a rabbit out of his hat and keep the trio in the fold.
Of course, making the signings happen took a combination of willingness from the players and creativity from the team. However, the deals were finalized, and the Panthers retained their core.
Ekblad concluded his thoughts about running out his contract in Florida, declaring:
“I’m under contract for eight years. Hopefully they don't get tired of me. I heard Marchand say it in an interview the other day, that they're going to have to kick him out of the league, and they'll be having to do the same thing with me."
If Ekblad and Marchand can continue going strong, there’s no reason why the Panthers can’t win another handful of Stanley Cups down the road.