The Florida Panthers were dealt a heavy blow in their pursuit of defending their Stanley Cup title after the league announced veteran defenseman Aaron Ekblad would serve a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Ekblad, 29, will serve his suspension, without pay, as the Panthers enter the final stretch of the regular season.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad moves the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
With just 18 games left on the schedule, Ekblad will miss at least the first two games of the playoffs.
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“The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock,” Ekblad said in a statement provided by the league. “Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel.
“I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. 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.”
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. (Steve Roberts/Imagn Images)
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Ekblad missed eight games in January with an upper body injury.
It was unclear what the source of the positive test result was.
Under the terms of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, Ekblad was also issued a mandatory referral for evaluation and possible treatment.
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) skates with the puck against Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault (24) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry/Imagn Images)
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Ekblad is the first player since 2018 to violate the league’s PED policy. Before his suspension, he had 33 points in 56 games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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