The Panthers will be missing a big piece of their blue line for the rest of the season.
Defenseman Aaron Ekblad was handed a 20-game suspension by the NHL on Monday for “violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.”
Ekblad will not be paid during the length of his suspension and his ban is accompanied by a mandatory referral to the joint program between the NHL and the NHL Players Association for for substance abuse and behavioral health for evaluation and potential treatment, the NHL said.
In a statement by Ekblad released by the NHLPA, he said said that it came as “a shock” that he failed the random drug test, but ultimately took responsibility for the error that caused it.
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“As the NHL announced, I have been suspended for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock. Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel,” he said. “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.”
Monday was the first time the NHL has suspended a player for violating the league’s PED program since September 2018, when then-Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt got banned for the same issue.
In an odd twist, Schmidt is currently a teammate of Ekblad’s in Florida.
But unlike Eklbad, Schmidt did not take the suspension lightly, saying in a statement at the time that he “did not agree with the suspension” and “will not accept being labeled a cheater.”
Ekblad has appeared in 56 games this season for the Panthers, posting 30 points (3 G, 30 A). He helped lead Florida to a Stanley Cup last season.
Ekblad is in the final year of his eight-year contract and slated to be a free agent this upcoming offseason.