The offseason brought several interesting storylines to follow. One of the main ones involved the pending extensions for the Florida Panthers, who had to reach deals with three players set to become free agents: Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad. By the organization’s decision, all three Stanley Cup champions stayed.
Ending a long chapter and changing franchises isn’t easy, which is why Ekblad made it clear he appreciates the Panthers’ efforts to keep him on the roster, especially after winning back-to-back league titles. Like Marchand and Bennett, Florida’s defensive anchor will contribute to the goal of winning a third straight championship.
Many teams waited in anticipation to see what would happen with Ekblad as the extension talks with the Panthers dragged on. The 29-year-old defenseman was just hours away from hitting free agency, and the Utah Mammoth, among others, were circling to acquire him. Now that his future is settled, the player who has spent his entire career in Florida has made a bold admission.
Ekblad’s 4-word message about his future in Florida
“It always was Florida,” was Ekblad’s four-word admission about his decision to stay with the Panthers. According to Florida Hockey Now, the statement, made days after agreeing to his extension, rules out any speculation about a potential move to another franchise.
Brad Marchand in action as Hockey Canada’s GM discusses his omission from the initial Olympic roster alongside stars Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon.
“I don’t think you guys understand: Florida is home. It means the world to me. Nineteen years is a long time, especially with one franchise, and I have so much pride and still a lot of expectations for my career in these eight years. I’m really happy and proud that things got done, but it was an extremely stressful few days,” Ekblad added.
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Details of Ekblad’s extension
On June 30, 2025, just hours before he was set to become a free agent, Stanley Cup champion Ekblad and the Panthers reached an agreement on an eight-year extension worth $48.8 million, with an average annual value (AAV) of $6.1 million. The deal includes a no-move clause for the first six seasons and a modified clause in the final two.
