$60,000,000 Panthers star makes his feelings extremely clear as free agency 'decision' looms closer

Florida Panthers star defenseman Aaron Ekblad is about to become a free agent on July 1. He has spent 11 seasons with the Panthers, and his eight-year, $60 million contract will end after the end of the postseason. Now, with the free agency market less than a month away, Ekblad spoke to Michael Russo of The Athletic about his future. He said he would think about it after the season ends.

"It’ll have to be after the season", Ekblad said, via The Athletic. "Obviously, a thought one way or another has obviously come into my mind. But at the end of the day, we’ll see the way it plays out.

"Everybody knows where I stand. I live and breathe for the Florida Panthers. I bleed for the Florida Panthers. I’ve given my body and everything to this team, and I want to keep doing it, forever, for as long as they’ll let me come to the rink."

This season has been tough for Ekblad. He missed 18 regular-season games and two playoff games because of a suspension. The suspension came after he tested positive for a banned substance. Ekblad said he did not know the substance was in the product he used to recover from injuries.

Despite this, Ekblad has played well in the playoffs. He has scored three goals and eight assists in 14 games and has a plus-minus 11 rating. In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, he played over 33 minutes, but he finished -2.

The Panthers have limited salary cap space and several free agents to consider. Ekblad said management has made hard choices for the good of the team.

"I’ve given everything I can and will continue to give everything that I can to this team...," Ekblad said. "There’s been some tough decisions made by management along the way, and all for the betterment of the team."

At 29, Ekblad still has several good years ahead. His experience and skills are valuable to any team. But for now, his focus is on the playoffs and helping Florida win the Cup.

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The Oilers wanted to wear down Panthers D-man Aaron Ekblad

The Edmonton Oilers made Aaron Ekblad a target in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. They focused on hitting Florida’s defensemen, and many of those hits were on Ekblad. Evander Kane led the Oilers with nine hits, he hit Ekblad less than five minutes into the game.

"It’s two teams that are... going to go toe-to-toe, and we’re going to have to roll with the punches throughout the course of the series," Oilers forward Kane said, via NHL.com.

Edmonton wants to wear down key players over the series. The Oilers say their physical play is part of their plan, and they will keep playing hard as the series continues.