Florida Panthers: Aaron Ekblad
The Florida Panthers have one of the league’s best offense but on the flip side, they also give up a ton of goals. With Sergei Bobrovsky not playing to his intended level, it is up to the Panthers’ defense to help bail the team out. Aaron Ekblad has become Florida’s star defenseman and a critical player if they want to get back in the playoff picture.
Ekblad plays on the penalty kill, the power play, and is on the top pairing that is responsible for shutting down their opponent’s best players. He can hit, he can shoot, he can pass, and he can lead the rush. There aren’t many things that Ekblad can’t do and he has established himself as a top defenseman in the NHL.
His 22:54 minutes a night is the most on the Panthers and it’s obvious that Joel Quenneville puts a lot of trust in him. If Florida wants to snatch a playoff spot, they’re going to need to play better defensively and it starts with their star defenseman, Ekblad.
The team has lost three straight games since their comeback victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, including a 7-2 stomping at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights. This team needs to come together quickly and get their defensive game sorted out before their chance slips away.
Two of their next three games are against the Philadelphia Flyers who are three points ahead of the Panthers. Those two games will make or break Florida’s playoff hopes and they’re going to need everyone at the top of their game to get the job done.