A big story broke out of Florida on Monday in the early evening as Florida Panthers’ defenceman Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games by the NHL, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
In the statement released by the league, they note: “Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioural Health for evaluation and possible treatment.”
The Panthers did acquire another defenceman prior to the NHL Trade Deadline in Seth Jones who will surely be able to step into the hole that Ekblad leaves in the team’s lineup. It’s unclear when the Panthers learned of Ekblad’s fate and it’s something he noted came from a substance he took earlier in the season to help him recover from an injury in which he missed eight games.
“Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel,” said Ekblad on the positive test. “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 mistakes and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard less and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.”
The first overall pick from 2014, Ekblad has played his entire career with the Panthers and helped the team win the Stanley Cup last season. He has 118 goals and 380 points in 732 career regular season games.
He will be eligible to return to the Panthers lineup for Game 3 of their first-round series when that rolls around.
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