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Aaron Ekblad

Florida Panthers Looking For Defensemen After Ekblad Injury

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5:00pm: Frank Seravalli of TSN is reporting that Ekblad will require surgery to repair a broken left leg and is out for the rest of the season.

2:35pm: Last week, the Florida Panthers waived veteran defenseman Anton Stralman and moved him off the active roster. It seemed the team had made the decision that Stralman no longer ranked among the team’s best six defensemen, so he was moved to the taxi squad to open up a little more cap space. After all, the team had Aaron Ekblad to carry the right side, logging more than 25 minutes a night and playing the best hockey of his career. The team could afford to take their time and shop around at the deadline for a top-four improvement, knowing that Ekblad could carry the load.

Then last night happened.

Ekblad, chasing a loose puck in the Dallas Stars end, got his feet tangled with Esa Lindell and fell awkwardly on his left leg. In a mostly-empty arena, you could hear the Florida defenseman cry out in pain immediately and stay down clutching his knee. The play was stopped and a stretcher was brought out to take Ekblad off the ice.

As Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest 31 Thoughts column, it appears to be a long-term injury for Ekblad, which will change the challenge for Florida as the deadline approaches. The insider reports that the team was already looking to add a defenseman, but the injury “will add to the urgency” of the search.

Quite frankly, it will be impossible for the Panthers to really replace Ekblad, given how well he has been playing this season. Before last night he had played at least 21 minutes in every single one of his 34 appearances his season, including twice coming just a few seconds shy of the 30-minute mark. His 11 goals have him tied for first among defensemen and his 22 points were good enough for fifth on the Panthers roster.

Selected first overall in 2014, Ekblad has dealt with concussion and neck injuries in the past that have detoured his career path, but things finally were starting to come together once again. After turning 25 in February, he looked like a truly elite option that could anchor a top pairing for years to come.

That kind of player isn’t available on the trade market, though Mattias Ekholm of the Nashville Predators perhaps comes closest. Others like Vince Dunn have been linked to the Panthers in the past and it remains to be seen if the team is now looking for multiple additions. The Panthers of course still won that game against the Stars with ease, taking their record to 22-9-4. That’s just a few points out of first place in the entire NHL, meaning the time seemed right for a deadline push. Whether Ekblad’s injury will make them reconsider or buy even more aggressively will likely come down to price.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Florida Panthers Part Ways With GM Dale Tallon

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Aug 10: The Panthers have officially parted ways with Tallon, announcing that a search for their next GM has begun. In a short statement, owner Vinnie Viola explained what Tallon has meant for the club and why they were now moving on:

For the last decade, Dale raised the team’s profile, attracted key players to South Florida and brought character and class to our franchise. When we purchased the Panthers in 2013, we did so with a singular goal–to win a Stanley Cup. We have not seen our efforts come to fruition. We will now begin an organizational search for the next general manager.

Aug 7: The Florida Panthers were very unlikely to have made the playoffs this season under the standard format and few gave them a chance of an upset over the stout defense of the New York Islanders in the qualifying round. Yet, the organization is still not taking their elimination earlier today lightly. Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland reports that the hammer is set to drop on long-time executive Dale Tallon. The team is expected to move on from their GM shortly.

Tallon, hired as GM in Florida in 2010, had previously served in the same role with the Chicago Blackhawks and had a hand in the team’s Stanley Cup win the season prior to his departure. Tallon served as GM for the Panthers until 2016, when he was elevated to President of Hockey Operations. He then resumed GM duties as well in 2018. Having been around for a decade, Tallon’s influence can be found in every corner of the roster, even in long-time homegrown stars Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Aaron Ekblad, who were all drafted by Tallon.

However, Tallon’s mistakes have also made a lasting impression on the roster. This past off-season in particular, Tallon gambled with the Panthers’ salary cap space, spending big on goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, forward Brett Connolly, and defenseman Anton Stralman. It is hard to argue that any of the three have lived up to expectations in yet another disappointing season for the franchise, which has not won a playoff series since 1996. Yet, they are all multi-year deals and will continue to impact the team for seasons still to come. With little cap space heading into this off-season, top scorers like Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov could prove difficult to re-sign and the club could take another step backward next season. Other lasting mistakes have included a botched Expansion Draft strategy that saw the team give away Reilly Smith in order to ensure Jonathan Marchessault was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights, only to see both become reliable top-six forwards, not getting enough for forward Vincent Trocheck from the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline this year, and simply flip-flopping on their organizational strategy too frequently.

In finding Tallon’s replacement, the Panthers need to find someone with a long-term outlook on the position and a concrete plan on how they will rebuild the club. Having made just three playoff appearances in the past ten years, Florida fans will likely be happy to miss the postseason for another year or two if it means sustained success down the road. That could start with some lottery luck in the form of the No. 1 overall pick and Alexis Lafreniere. Maximizing their four picks in the first three rounds one way or another will also be imperative for the new GM in his first draft. Finding a way to shed some dead weight salary and to add much-needed depth at all positions will also be key.

Not all of Tallon’s tenure in Florida has been bad – including the aforementioned homegrown standouts and a pair of division titles – but at the end of the day the Panthers have had no postseason success and they have their work cut out for them to change that any time soon. Tallon’s replacement will have plenty of work to do to undo some of the GM’s mistakes and to reverse the curse on the Florida franchise.

WHL Designates Connor Bedard With First Ever Exceptional Player Status

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Exceptional player status in the CHL is only declared for those elite 15-year-olds deemed worthy of joining the major junior ranks a year early. Exceptional player status has been granted five times in the OHL – John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, and Shane Wright – and just once in the QMJHL – Joe Veleno – but never before in the WHL. That is, until today. Just one day after the WHL was forced to make the disappointing announcement that the remainder of their season had been canceled, tonight they made the exciting revelation that for the first time exceptional player status has been awarded.

The lucky 15-year-old-to-be is Connor Bedard of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Bedard played this season with the U-18 team of West Vancouver Academy in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League. In 36 games, Bedard recorded a whopping 43 goals and 84 points. He led the league in both categories by a significant margin and contributed on nearly 50% of his teams total goals on the year. While Bedard is still undersized at 5’8” and 165 lbs., he is still four years away from his draft year and will spend all of that time in the WHL growing his already-impressive skills in addition to growing physically.

The WHL Bantam Draft is set for April 22, 2020 and Bedard is now expected to be the prize at No. 1 overall. The 2020 WHL Bantam Draft Lottery is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday March 25 and will determine the order of the first six selections of the draft. In the running for the top spot are the the Swift Current Broncos, Moose Jaw Warriors, Tri-City Americans, Prince George Cougars, Regina Pats, and Red Deer Rebels. Just one will end up fortunate enough to land the first ever “exceptional” player in league history.

East Notes: Ekblad, Ryan, Bernier, Penguins

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The Panthers will be without their top defenseman through the weekend.  George Richards of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that Aaron Ekblad will miss at least the next two games with what is believed to be a shoulder injury.  The good news for Florida is that he shouldn’t be out much longer as Richards adds that he could be back at some point during their upcoming four-game road trip.  Ekblad is logging over 23 minutes per game for the third straight season while being on pace for a new career high in points.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Senators winger Bobby Ryan has returned to Ottawa and has resumed skating, reports Postmedia’s Ken Warren. He has been away from the team since entering the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program on November 20th.  When asked about when the veteran might return to the lineup, head coach D.J. Smith indicated that there’s no immediate timetable for his return and that they’ll provide an update when Ryan is closer to being ready to come back.
  • Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier could be ready to return on Sunday, the team announced (Twitter link). He is dealing with a groin injury that caused him to miss last Sunday’s game but it doesn’t appear as if it will hold him out for long.  Once he’s cleared to return, Calvin Pickard will return to AHL Grand Rapids.
  • The Penguins are set to get some good news on the injury front as the team announced that they will activate winger Patric Hornqvist off IR in advance of tonight’s game against Nashville. The veteran had missed the past ten games due to a lower-body injury.  Winger Thomas Di Pauli has been returned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to make room on the roster.  Meanwhile, Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that forward Nick Bjugstad skated for the first time after sustaining a core muscle injury more than a month ago.  He’s still likely a few weeks away from returning though.

Florida Panthers Intend To Upgrade Their Defense

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Although there is plenty of conversation when it comes to the Florida Panthers and new head coach Joel Quenneville trying to bring aboard top free agents like goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Artemi Panarin, there hasn’t been nearly as much attention put to Quenneville’s other task, which is to fix the Panthers’ defense. While there could be quite a bit of personnel changes, The Athletic’s George Richards (subscription required) writes that one thing that is certain is that the team is going to be looking for a new top-four defenseman.

Last season, the Panthers had one of the worst defenses in the league after allowing 273 goals, the fourth highest total in the league. The team also led the league in turnovers. Four goaltenders took the ice for Florida as well and all four, including starter Roberto Luongo finished with a GAA over 3.00, while James Reimer finished with the best save percentage of the bunch at .900. Even if the sloppy puck movement and poor goaltending can be remedied by other additions, much of the team’s success will rely on Quenneville putting in a new defensive system, as he has historically run a more simplified style that forces defensemen to play a stricter and tighter game and be less involved in the offense. GM Dale Tallon commented on the benefits to Quenneville’s defensive style:

We had a lot of bad habits and have a lot of things we need to change. Team defense is important, and the forwards have to buy into that as well. That’s something I think Q will definitely address. There are going to be changes made, that is for sure.

Beyond just strategic changes, Florida will need to boost their defensive personnel. The team has three top-four defensemen under contract long-term in Aaron Ekblad (six years at $7.5MM), Mike Matheson (seven years at $4.9MM) and Keith Yandle (four years at $6.35MM). All three are pretty much untradeable even if the team wanted to move them. However, the final spot in the top four is up for grabs. Mark Pysyk has failed to show he can be an effective fit in that role and now enters the final year of his contract at $2.73MM, making him an intriguing trade chip. RFA’s MacKenzie Weegar and Ian McCoshen are also unlikely to be top-four candidates. As such, the team will be forced to either look to sign a defenseman off the free agent market or could try to pull off a trade to strengthen their blue line. Tallon will likely seek a more defensive-minded veteran to fit Quenneville’s scheme.

 

Florida Panthers Fire Head Coach Bob Boughner

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The Florida Panthers wasted no time in making major moves at the start of their premature off-season. The team has announced that head coach Bob Boughner has been relieved of his duties. Boughner just finished his second season as the coach of the Panthers, his first NHL head coaching position. Assistant coach Paul McFarland has also been fired.

The team release from GM Dale Tallon read as follows:

We made a tough decision today and have relieved Bob Boughner of his duties as head coach. We didn’t meet expectations this season and share responsibility for that fact. After careful evaluation, we have determined that this is a necessary first step for our young team and we will seek to identify a transformative, experienced head coach with Stanley Cup pedigree to lead our team going forward. We’re grateful to Bob, Paul, and their families for their hard work and their dedication to the Panthers organization and we wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Boughner’s departure should not come as any great surprise. As a first-time NHL head coach, Boughner was on a short leash from the start. After a slow beginning to his tenure, the Panthers were one of the best teams in the NHL down the stretch last season, but just narrowly missed the playoffs nonetheless. The expectation was that the team would ride that streak right into the new campaign, but 2018-19 did not go as planned. The team could never quite keep things together long enough to stick around the playoff picture. It was a disappointing finish for a team with high expectations.

If the Panthers were a rebuilding club, perhaps two finishes just outside the top-16 would have been enough for Boughner to keep his job. However, Florida is a deep, talented team with many players in the primes of their careers. Especially up front, the Cats had enough talent that they should have rivaled nearly any team in the league. Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau each cracked 90 points this season, while Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov reached 70. The Panthers were the first squad this season to have five 20-goal scorers, finished ninth as a team in goals for per game, and their power play – led by McFarland – was second only tot the rival Tampa Bay Lightning. Where Boughner and his staff clearly fell short was in preventing goals to the same extent they scored them. The Panthers were 28th in the league in goals against per game, allowing ten goals on average over a three-game stretch. Ironically, that did not come from allowing too many shots or struggling on the penalty kill, as Florida largely succeeded in both areas. Instead, Boughner’s scheme seemed to allow for too many high-danger chances and put his defensemen and struggling goaltenders in tough situations.

Admittedly, it’s not all Boughner’s fault. Roberto Luongo, 40, and James Reimer, 31, were a tired and injury-prone duo from the start that made keeping pucks out of the net a difficult task. The defense corps also lacked difference makers behind Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad, as Mike Matheson took a step back and others on the blue line were overexposed. However, as a former standout defenseman himself, the expectation was likely that Boughner could adjust to his personnel and do a better job of defending against goals. Given the individual talent of many of his forwards, the team could have survived with a more conservative style. However, that move was never made and it likely cost Boughner his job.

As for the next bench boss in Florida, the team’s desire for a “transformative, experienced head coach with Stanley Cup pedigree” is likely a not-so-subtle plea to former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville. Quenneville is the best free agent coach available and really the only name that fits that description. He also shares a history with Tallon. Additionally, the Panthers are expected to pursue both Columbus Blue Jackets stars Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky this summer and know Quenneville could be the key to bringing in former Blackhawk Panarin and his best friend. Quenneville has been linked to other teams around the NHL, but while other vacancies have since been filled by interim coaches who will receive further consideration, the job is open right now in Florida and Quenneville could be tempted to take it.

Shane Wright Granted Exceptional Player Status

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The OHL has officially announced their decision to grant Shane Wright exceptional player status, making him eligible for the 2019 OHL Draft. The 15-year old forward will be the fifth OHL player to be granted such a distinction, following John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid and Sean Day.

Like three of the previously distinguished players, Wright has an early birthday giving him an advantage over many of the other players born in 2004. Still, the young forward has proven to be exceptional in every way. Already measuring in at 6’0″ 183-lbs, he has dominated the highly competitive GTHL (Greater Toronto Hockey League) by scoring 66 goals and 150 points in 72 games. Wright plays for the Don Mills Flyers, an organization that has produced plenty of NHL talent including active players like Mitch Marner, Max Domi and Darnell Nurse.

Not eligible for the NHL draft until 2022, Wright has a long road ahead of him to live up to the other players given this distinction. Though Day hasn’t quite found his footing in professional hockey yet, the other three were selected first overall in the NHL draft and have had outstanding careers. The first step for Wright is finding out which OHL team will secure his rights, as the Flint Firebirds and Kingston Frotenacs are battling for the first overall draft pick, where he is widely expected to be selected.

Montreal’s Phillip Danault Receives Max Fine For Tripping

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A late-game scuffle is going to cost Montreal Canadiens forward Phillip Danault. The Department of Player Safety announced today that Danault has been served with a $5,000 fine for a “dangerous trip” on Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, the maximum fine for that type of penalty under the NHL CBA. While it the maximum amount that Player Safety may fine Danault, $5,000 is less than one-seventh of Danault’s next game check on his $3MM salary this season.

The incident in question occurred late in the third period, when Danault lodged his stick underneath the left knee of Ekblad after a scrum along the boards. Danault then used that leverage to upend Ekblad, causing him to topple to the ice. Ekblad responded immediately, chasing down Danault before the pair dropped the gloves. However, it was again Danault getting the takedown as Ekblad was once gain forced to the ice. Danault received a two-minute minor on the play for tripping in addition to the five-minute major for fighting that both players received.

While Player Safety properly saw fit to punish Danault further for the dangerous takedown and the Montreal center will be out a decent amount of money, it is safe to say that last night’s events were far more damaging for Ekblad. This was the first meeting between the Panthers and Canadiens since the preseason, when Max Domi earned a suspension for the remainder of the preseason for sucker punching an unwilling Ekblad. Many expected the big Florida defenseman to seek his retribution against Domi in this re-match, but again the 6’4″, 220-lb. Ekblad shied away from confrontation despite knowing that the much smaller Domi is usually a willing combatant. Instead, Ekblad waited until the last minute before engaging with Danault, not known for his physical prowess, and still ended up “losing” the fight after being taken down by the smaller Danault. It was Ekblad’s first bout of the season and only the fifth of his career, as the Panthers’ defensive cornerstone hasn’t felt the need to fight to prove that that he has the toughness to match his size and strength. Now that smaller Canadiens forwards have gotten the best of him twice, will he feel the need to prove himself?

Max Domi Suspended Entire Preseason

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His regular season debut won’t be affected, but Max Domi has been suspended for the remainder of the preseason schedule for his punch on Florida’s Aaron Ekblad last night. Montreal has five more games on the exhibition schedule, that they’ll have to play without their new first line center. As the accompanying video explains:

Domi spends a considerable amount of time attempting to force Ekblad into a fight, and Ekblad visibly refuses him multiple times. Ekblad ignores Domi as he throws multiple jabs with his gloves on, clearly showing restraint and declining to engage. Rather than skate away and accept that is opponent is an unwilling combatant, Domi drops his stick and glove and delivers a forceful, bare-knuckle punch to Ekblad’s face.

Domi will be allowed to practice with the team and actually does not forfeit any salary, but will be considered a repeat offender going forward. His NHL record will also now include a second suspension, which will lead to more harsh consequences should he ever be involved in an incident again. Still, the biggest loss for both Domi and the Montreal Canadiens at this point is likely any in-game chemistry that he would have built with his new teammates over the next few weeks as they’ll need to integrate someone else into the top line.

The 23-year old Domi needs a good offensive season to really establish himself as a core piece going forward for the Canadiens. Remember, he’s only signed through the 2019-20 season on his current deal and will need to start extension negotiations next summer. A return to the 18-goal, 52-point performance of his rookie campaign would be a good start, but even more important may be his play at center ice. If Domi can prove himself a capable option down the middle, he’ll hold even more leverage over the Canadiens in the summer of 2020. He’ll have to avoid incidents like this going forward if he’s to stay on the ice, but has escaped this time without missing any regular season action.

Max Domi To Receive Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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In what was essentially a meaningless preseason affair for veteran players just looking to shake off the rust before the season begins, Max Domi may have risked the start of his Montreal Canadiens career. After coming together with Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and attempting to start a fight, Domi quickly dropped his glove and delivered a punch to the unsuspecting Ekblad, knocking him to the ice. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety will have a hearing today with Domi over the incident, and could potentially hand out a suspension.

Domi did receive a match penalty for the punch, ending his night early in what would eventually become a 5-2 loss for the Canadiens. For a player who is expected to be the first line center in Montreal this season, it wasn’t a great first impression and could get even worse if a suspension is handed down today. It seems unlikely that Domi will miss any regular season games since the incident happened so early in the exhibition schedule, but nothing is certain at this point.

The Canadiens have a lot riding on the 23-year old Domi, and are hoping that he can experience a bounce back offensive campaign after scoring just nine goals last season in 82 games. While this doesn’t change those hopes, it certainly gets him off on the wrong foot.

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