"Marchand gone" "Rat king coming to Toronto": NHL fans react as Aaron Ekblad signs 8-year, $48.8M extension with Panthers

The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with defenseman Aaron Ekblad. News of the signing was first reported by Elliotte Friedman on Monday, and then confirmed by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

The deal is a max-term, eight-year pact worth $48.8 million. The contract also ends speculation about the Panthers moving on from Ekblad amid salary cap concerns this summer.

However, not all fans were thrilled about Ekblad’s new contract. Some fans took to social media to express how Ekblad’s signing could mean Brad Marchand might leave.

Meanwhile, other fans expressed their relief at learning that Aaron Ekblad will remain in Florida for what would appear to be the rest of his career.

Ekblad's new contract will see him stay in Florida until 2033. He will be eligible for free agency in his age-37 season. The Panthers still have one more big-ticket free agent in Brad Marchand to re-sign this summer.

Florida Panthers get bargain on Aaron Ekblad deal

The Florida Panthers got a bargain on Aaron Ekblad’s new eight-year deal. According to The Athletic’s free-agent board, Ekblad was valued at a much higher AAV.

The Athletic estimated that Ekblad would sign for eight years at an AAV of $7.8 million. That’s substantially higher than what he ended up signing for. The Panthers got Ekblad for $6.1 million AAV.

That situation signals that Ekblad took a pay cut to stay in Florida. Ekblad had signed an eight-year deal in 2017 worth $60 million. That contract carried a $7.5 million AAV. This time around, the first pick from 2014 decided to accept a lower AAV to stay in Florida.

While some may argue that it’s due to the tax advantage in Florida, Ekblad had been open about wanting to remain a Panther. So, his new contract could have been the result of his desire to remain in Florida without hamstringing the team financially.

The Panthers now have a shade under $5 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. The team will need to get creative if they are to sign Brad Marchand, among other players, to round out the roster ahead of next season.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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