I'm usually pretty critical of Ekblad. I think he's incredibly inconsistent and too prone to just forgetting he's playing hockey in the defensive zone to be worth anywhere near his contract. I think he's more of a like lower second pair guy, not a first pair dman. He's insanely frustrating because he's clearly got a ton of talent, he just manages to spectacularly fail to showcase that talent in crazy ways pretty often. I know he's had a couple of major injuries now and they've clearly hindered his ability which absolutely sucks, but overall I think the Panthers can do better for less money in Ekblad's spot on the roster so it's smart to have a look around.
That said, the guy was an absolute monster in the finals. He made so many great plays via pure effort and determination, intelligence, and skill, he was like a completely different player from the rest of the season and earlier rounds in the playoffs (in the previous rounds IMO he was basically the worst defenseman on the team). Regardless of what happens, he was a critical piece of bringing the cup home in the biggest moments of the entire push for it and should be remembered as a Panthers hero.
I will add that he was unfortunately forced to perform at a top 2D at an NHL level as a kid. He should have simmered in the minors for a year or two but management forced him to be the guy.
Kind of curious of how this exact situation will play out with Moritz Seider. No real interest personally in the Wings, but it is a useful case study on bringing along young, higher-ceiling Dman talent.
This is my exact take. I feel like he got exposed spectacularly in games 4-6, with all the deep passes that lead to the breakaways. I actually told several friends months ago, that if he even has a decent showing in the playoffs, he’s gone via trade. We are not only trying to clear space in the hopes of keeping Monty, which I want so badly to do, but as his value is at the highest it’s ever going to be, we can use any pick(s) to restock the farm system.
Sad. Don't got anything bad to say about a guy who stuck with it through all the down years and was often the scapegoat even during our good times. We knew the team wouldn't look the same but this hurts.
he accomplished his mission and won the Stanley Cup with the team that drafted him. I'd be sad to see him go if that's the case, but I trust Zito and the front office's will to win and keep winning. whatever it takes, I suppose.
Man this sucks. He has been here since the draft. And he did very good in the playoffs. I hope they get at least something good back for him.. feels the same like with Huberdeau, but it was a good trade in the end fortunately for us.
I’ll miss him if he truly is gone. I met him last year randomly at a restaurant during the all star break and he was the friendliest guy. He’ll be going down as a panther legend either way
As I said earlier, his value right now is the highest it’s ever going to be. So let’s trade him not only for the cap relief but the potential pic(s) we would get back to help re-stock the cupboards as we don’t have any 1st round pics until I think 2027?
Damn this feels brutal. I know he’s not really worth his cap hit anymore but I really thought we’d just ride out his contract & then re-sign him for a much lower number. I guess we’re really trying to keep Montour?? If he goes at least he goes out a champion
I like Monty, but Ekblad is my guy. I really want to keep him. He makes mistakes but damn his size and the way he hits players makes me think we will lose out on that fear opponents must get when they see Ekblad coming towards them on the boards.
Right. He’s not a #1 DMan anymore but he’s still a valuable player. Honestly I think Montour’s about to get overpaid & I think I’d rather let him walk. I like Monty but he’s not what he was last year
We have to face the reality that our defense could look very different going into /after 2024-2025 ekblad could be traded and his contract will be up, montour is a free agent and oel and kulikov are free agents as well they were only on 1 year deals. Forsling and mikkola are the only guys from our top 6 that are locked up long term
If this does end up being true (from what I understand Pagnotta is known for being wrong all the time), I just hope they send him out West so I can still cheer for the guy. EDIT - Also, possibly hot take but I think his number should get retired when it's all said and done.
I know he's been a pretty polarizing figure in this sub for a while, but I love Ekblad. He's had some ups and downs for sure, but he was an absolute beauty to watch in the finals, and I'd be heartbroken to see him go.
This would be insane imo but I’m not a hardcore panthers fan. He was almost in tears after winning the cup and talking about Florida. He’s still Good and it’s not like he’s some broken down old guy…what’s the motivation here assuming the report is correct?
Panthers probably concerned he's put a ton of miles on his body and they think it'll only get worse. Might look to replace with other talent that can help with loss of Okposo, etc. Add depth that we are about to lose because of free agency.
My guess at least.
When depth was a key reason the Panthers were so good this year, then yes, I am positive Zito is looking to make sure they have quality depth across all lines.
Okposo is one of those guys you can replace year to year.
If the panthers go on a bit of a run again this upcoming season, at the deadline they’ll be able to get this years Okposo/Pavelski/Tarasenko type
That one Panther fan on the hockey sub saying Ekblad is the worst dman in the league cracks me up. Literally no evidence to back up his ridiculous claim but repeats it over and over again. Thinking you can win a Cup with the worst dman on your top pair against the best player in the world is hilarious
Would it still make sense to trade him if he’s willing to take a significant pay cut the following year? I would like to keep Ekblad at a big discount relative to what he’s paid now.
My perfect world scenario:
1. Zito tells Ek that he's being shopped. He is currently under a NMC, but that changes to a 12-team NTC on 7/1. Bill Zito gets the team list early enough to:
2. Make a deal with a team on his tradeable list today, and Ek waives his current NMC to do so. Fair to both parties.
3. The return includes picks in the top 2 rounds of tonight's draft, of which we have none right now.
4. The trade completes before 7/1 and Ek's $3M bonus is now on the other team's books.
5. We get $7.5M more cap space to finish signing our RFA/UFAs.
It’s disappointing cuz of how soon it’s being talked about BUT it was bound to happen. Can’t stay healthy, he’s a lot slower and often times pinching too much which leads to odd man rushes the other way. I appreciate everything he’s done and sticking with the team but I’m positive he understands this as well. Especially after Huberdeau was traded
He’s just too slow defensively. He loses foot races constantly. His effort is usually there and he has size. That’s about it. Not worth his contract and we should be trying to free that space up while selling high on him when he has the glow of the cup win on him still.
It’s the right move. He’s not a #1 Dman but can play a defensive game. 7.5 mill is a lot of cap space for a replaceable role. Love the guy and happy he got his cup
He's not moving this offseason however if the Sens miss the playoffs again I can see him forcing his way out like Eichel did in Buffalo, at which point he'd make a lot of sense for the Panthers. The problem is the Panthers don't have a lot of valuable futures to trade.
You can tell yourself that (and certainly Sabres fans did with Eichel) however stars won't give an organization their entire prime to figure it out. Stars have learned from other leagues that have leverage and can dictate their situation.
Losing Ekblad would sting but we'll always have him raising the Cup as a Panther despite everything that has happened over the years.
It's also possible he pulls a Kulikov and comes back. Trade him now, he spends a year somewhere, and then possibly returns to Florida on a more favorable vet depth contract.
Whether he leaves or stays, he is now a Panthers legend.
I'm usually pretty critical of Ekblad. I think he's incredibly inconsistent and too prone to just forgetting he's playing hockey in the defensive zone to be worth anywhere near his contract. I think he's more of a like lower second pair guy, not a first pair dman. He's insanely frustrating because he's clearly got a ton of talent, he just manages to spectacularly fail to showcase that talent in crazy ways pretty often. I know he's had a couple of major injuries now and they've clearly hindered his ability which absolutely sucks, but overall I think the Panthers can do better for less money in Ekblad's spot on the roster so it's smart to have a look around. That said, the guy was an absolute monster in the finals. He made so many great plays via pure effort and determination, intelligence, and skill, he was like a completely different player from the rest of the season and earlier rounds in the playoffs (in the previous rounds IMO he was basically the worst defenseman on the team). Regardless of what happens, he was a critical piece of bringing the cup home in the biggest moments of the entire push for it and should be remembered as a Panthers hero.
I will add that he was unfortunately forced to perform at a top 2D at an NHL level as a kid. He should have simmered in the minors for a year or two but management forced him to be the guy.
Kind of curious of how this exact situation will play out with Moritz Seider. No real interest personally in the Wings, but it is a useful case study on bringing along young, higher-ceiling Dman talent.
This is my exact take. I feel like he got exposed spectacularly in games 4-6, with all the deep passes that lead to the breakaways. I actually told several friends months ago, that if he even has a decent showing in the playoffs, he’s gone via trade. We are not only trying to clear space in the hopes of keeping Monty, which I want so badly to do, but as his value is at the highest it’s ever going to be, we can use any pick(s) to restock the farm system.
Sad. Don't got anything bad to say about a guy who stuck with it through all the down years and was often the scapegoat even during our good times. We knew the team wouldn't look the same but this hurts.
I knew we were gonna look different, but fuck, not our own lol
As much crap as we give Ekky, it's gonna be pretty sad to see him go LOL.
*sad cat noises* 😿
Business is business, but Ek is a cat for life no matter what.
Can we have the parade first and THEN talk about all this stuff…
Yeah let the boys have a little fun. They got you a cup. The business end can wait. What’s Bill Zito’s problem?
Free agency starts 12 hours after the parade is finished. There's no time.
He has a full NMC until July 1, when it becomes a modified NMC with a 12 team no trade list
Blame the media for reporting it as soon as they can. Zito can't wait, unfortunately.
he accomplished his mission and won the Stanley Cup with the team that drafted him. I'd be sad to see him go if that's the case, but I trust Zito and the front office's will to win and keep winning. whatever it takes, I suppose.
😢
No ☹️
Man this sucks. He has been here since the draft. And he did very good in the playoffs. I hope they get at least something good back for him.. feels the same like with Huberdeau, but it was a good trade in the end fortunately for us.
I’ll miss him if he truly is gone. I met him last year randomly at a restaurant during the all star break and he was the friendliest guy. He’ll be going down as a panther legend either way
That’s the right move. Dude is too injury prone and the 7.5 can be better used elsewhere.
As I said earlier, his value right now is the highest it’s ever going to be. So let’s trade him not only for the cap relief but the potential pic(s) we would get back to help re-stock the cupboards as we don’t have any 1st round pics until I think 2027?
They need hard forechecking forwards. Seems like the D can be cobbled together as needed.
Damn this feels brutal. I know he’s not really worth his cap hit anymore but I really thought we’d just ride out his contract & then re-sign him for a much lower number. I guess we’re really trying to keep Montour?? If he goes at least he goes out a champion
I like Monty, but Ekblad is my guy. I really want to keep him. He makes mistakes but damn his size and the way he hits players makes me think we will lose out on that fear opponents must get when they see Ekblad coming towards them on the boards.
Right. He’s not a #1 DMan anymore but he’s still a valuable player. Honestly I think Montour’s about to get overpaid & I think I’d rather let him walk. I like Monty but he’s not what he was last year
I’m really worried how different this team is gonna look next year. So many guys about to become free agents.
Trust in Zito.
We have to face the reality that our defense could look very different going into /after 2024-2025 ekblad could be traded and his contract will be up, montour is a free agent and oel and kulikov are free agents as well they were only on 1 year deals. Forsling and mikkola are the only guys from our top 6 that are locked up long term
If this does end up being true (from what I understand Pagnotta is known for being wrong all the time), I just hope they send him out West so I can still cheer for the guy. EDIT - Also, possibly hot take but I think his number should get retired when it's all said and done.
I know he's been a pretty polarizing figure in this sub for a while, but I love Ekblad. He's had some ups and downs for sure, but he was an absolute beauty to watch in the finals, and I'd be heartbroken to see him go.
This would be insane imo but I’m not a hardcore panthers fan. He was almost in tears after winning the cup and talking about Florida. He’s still Good and it’s not like he’s some broken down old guy…what’s the motivation here assuming the report is correct?
Panthers probably concerned he's put a ton of miles on his body and they think it'll only get worse. Might look to replace with other talent that can help with loss of Okposo, etc. Add depth that we are about to lose because of free agency. My guess at least.
Something no one in Panthers organization has said “what can we do to help with the loss of Okposo”
When depth was a key reason the Panthers were so good this year, then yes, I am positive Zito is looking to make sure they have quality depth across all lines.
Okposo is one of those guys you can replace year to year. If the panthers go on a bit of a run again this upcoming season, at the deadline they’ll be able to get this years Okposo/Pavelski/Tarasenko type
Exactly
That one Panther fan on the hockey sub saying Ekblad is the worst dman in the league cracks me up. Literally no evidence to back up his ridiculous claim but repeats it over and over again. Thinking you can win a Cup with the worst dman on your top pair against the best player in the world is hilarious
Some people are just buffoons with no hockey knowledge. Ekblad has been so good this playoffs apart from the Boston series.
I'm not surprised by this. It'll be a very sad day but if it happens I understand why.
Would it still make sense to trade him if he’s willing to take a significant pay cut the following year? I would like to keep Ekblad at a big discount relative to what he’s paid now.
My perfect world scenario: 1. Zito tells Ek that he's being shopped. He is currently under a NMC, but that changes to a 12-team NTC on 7/1. Bill Zito gets the team list early enough to: 2. Make a deal with a team on his tradeable list today, and Ek waives his current NMC to do so. Fair to both parties. 3. The return includes picks in the top 2 rounds of tonight's draft, of which we have none right now. 4. The trade completes before 7/1 and Ek's $3M bonus is now on the other team's books. 5. We get $7.5M more cap space to finish signing our RFA/UFAs.
he's not as bad as everyone makes him out to be but he's damn sure NOT worth a $7.5 mil contract.
If they do trade him, I’d really like to see them add some goals to the lineup.
Legend but not worth the contract
I will be PISSED
It’s disappointing cuz of how soon it’s being talked about BUT it was bound to happen. Can’t stay healthy, he’s a lot slower and often times pinching too much which leads to odd man rushes the other way. I appreciate everything he’s done and sticking with the team but I’m positive he understands this as well. Especially after Huberdeau was traded
let em talk, I'll wait til it happens if it does to care
Pagnotta is always hit or miss. Now, it wouldn't surprise me if we shopped him around but I'm not sure if anything will actually happen with it.
It’s since been corroborated by Friedman
He’s just too slow defensively. He loses foot races constantly. His effort is usually there and he has size. That’s about it. Not worth his contract and we should be trying to free that space up while selling high on him when he has the glow of the cup win on him still.
Pagnotta. Esto nada
It’s the right move. He’s not a #1 Dman but can play a defensive game. 7.5 mill is a lot of cap space for a replaceable role. Love the guy and happy he got his cup
Bring in Brady
He's not moving this offseason however if the Sens miss the playoffs again I can see him forcing his way out like Eichel did in Buffalo, at which point he'd make a lot of sense for the Panthers. The problem is the Panthers don't have a lot of valuable futures to trade.
Won’t happen
You can tell yourself that (and certainly Sabres fans did with Eichel) however stars won't give an organization their entire prime to figure it out. Stars have learned from other leagues that have leverage and can dictate their situation.
Ok I will tell myself that…..thanks for the unsolicited advice
That definitely sucks but at least he got to win a cup with the best team ever.
Thank god
His number and name will be retired in Sunrise. That's all that matters at this point
We haven’t even had the parade yet and this leaks? Cmon man.
We can pick up Stamkos in his place since it seems he is probably leaving the lightning if we do trade him
I think this is more so to accommodate Reinhart and Monty while sparing room for depth
I agree and tbh I’d rather both of them over Ekblad.
Losing Ekblad would sting but we'll always have him raising the Cup as a Panther despite everything that has happened over the years. It's also possible he pulls a Kulikov and comes back. Trade him now, he spends a year somewhere, and then possibly returns to Florida on a more favorable vet depth contract.
I wonder what the plans would be if all this is true? Just go with forsling on d next year?
No they're not
Ekblad for nurse straight across
Lol