Ekblad out 12 weeks with fractured leg. How will Panthers replace their top defenseman?
The Florida Panthers were obviously rattled after Aaron Ekblad went down with a serious left leg injury midway through the second period of their 4-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Sunday. They managed only eight shots the rest of the game and spent part of the second intermission checking on the defenseman, giving him hugs and words of encouragement as he feared a breakout season might be cut short.
Ekblad will miss 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left leg. A season with Stanley Cup promise for the Panthers will have to go on after a devastating blow and Florida, in the thick of a playoff race, has just weeks to find solutions.
“He’s been really good,” All-Star left wing Jonathan Huberdeau said Sunday. “Obviously, it’s going to be tough for us.”
Back-to-backs wins in Dallas over the weekend vaulted the Panthers (22-9-4) right back into the thick of the Central Division race, two points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning, and they will have a chance to gain more ground this week when they host the Detroit Red Wings for a pair in Sunrise, starting with a 7 p.m. game Tuesday.
It will be the first chance to start finding a fill-in for Ekblad on Florida’s top defensive pairing, but it will be an ongoing process to find a replacement. MacKenzie Weegar, for the time being, takes on the title of top defenseman, although his partner is an open question. While they have the defensive depth to move pilayers around, the Panthers could also be in the market to add before the trade deadline in April.
“You’re losing a guy that’s having one of those seasons,” Quenneville said. “You have a defenseman controlling and playing big minutes in all situations. You lose his leadership, so it’s tough. It’ll be a good test for us.”
Short-term fixes without Ekblad
In the past two years, Ekblad and Weegar played more than 1,000 minutes together. Weegar played fewer than 350 without Ekblad. While Weegar ranks among the NHL’s top defensive players the past two seasons, his play is almost impossible to separate from Ekblad’s.
Together, they formed one of the best defensive pairings in the league. Ekblad’s 11 goals were tied for the league lead among defensemen at the time of his injury, he led all defensemen in power-play goals and ranked ninth in time on ice per game. He played against opponents’ top lines, and played both power play and penalty kill.
“I don’t know how long he’s going to be out,” defenseman Keith Yandle said Sunday, “but it’s one of those things where everyone’s got to step up and contribute as much as we can.”
Yandle will be one candidate to move up to the top line. He’s the Panthers’ second leading scorer among defensemen, and still a gifted passer and power-play quarterback, even if he’s nowhere near the goal-scorer Ekblad is. Pairing a good offensive defenseman with Weegar, whose defensive metrics rank among the best in the league, makes sense and Yandle hasn’t had one set partner this year.
Gustav Forsling is also a willing shooter with 46 shots on goal in 22 games this season and fellow defenseman Anton Stralman, whom Florida waived Friday, could become a major contributor again after a brief stint on the taxi squad.
When Ekblad went down Sunday, Quenneville inserted defenseman Riley Stillman next to Weegar, but it was the first time they had ever played together. The coach has more time to assess his options with a day off Monday before hosting the Red Wings (12-20-4) at the BB&T Center.
Potential trades to replace Ekblad
With more than $3 million in projected cap space and one of the best records in the league, the Panthers are ready to buy ahead of the trade deadline and now there’s an obvious need.
It just so happens the biggest names likely to move next month fill Florida’s newfound vacancy.
Defenseman Mattias Ekholm is under contract with the Nashville Predators next season and The Sports Network ranks him at the top of its “Trade Bait Board.” No. 2 is Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard.
There are a handful of other star defensemen stuck on bad teams all across the league, including reigning James Norris Memorial Trophy winner Roman Josi with the Predators, Miro Heiskanen with the Dallas Stars, and Zach Werenski and Seth Jones with Columbus.
Josi, Heiskanen and Werenski won’t move. Jones is likely untouchable, too, although he’s only signed through next season and the Blue Jackets could opt to move him if they get an indication he won’t resign.
Brent Burns also remains stuck with one of the NHL’s worst teams, although he does have a no-trade clause with the San Jose Sharks. Still, the six-time All-Star is 36, making $8 million a year through 2026 and has just 18 points in 33 games.
It’d be a big, risky swing for the Panthers to take — and there’s no indication they’re interested — but it’d be a win-now play and a clear indication they’re trying to capitalize on a rare cup window. Florida has the cap space to take on the star defenseman and the Sharks would be willing to pay part of the salary for a couple years, The Athletic reported.
This story was originally published March 29, 2021 at 12:15 PM.
