Florida Panthers, Aaron Ekblad agree on eight-year extension - ESPN

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad won't be hitting the open market.

The Panthers and their top-pairing defenseman agreed to an eight-year extension carrying a $6.1 million average-annual value, sources told ESPN, confirming reports. The extension will keep Ekblad from becoming an unrestricted free agent. TSN was first to report news of the deal.

The 29-year-old blueliner would have been one of the most coveted players available when NHL free agency opens on Tuesday and he left potentially millions of dollars per season on the table to stick with Florida.

Ekblad had good reason not to explore his options. The Panthers just won their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship after making a third consecutive trip to the Final. General manager Bill Zito has also prioritized taking care of the team's own, signing Sam Bennett — the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner as NHL playoff MVP — to an eight-year, $64 million extension earlier this month.

Florida originally drafted Ekblad first overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He's been a significant contributor to their blueline ever since, amassing 118 goals and 380 points in 732 career games. Ekblad's last two regular seasons have shown a downturn production — he's managed only seven goals and 51 points in 107 games — but he carries over 23 minutes per game and is a presence on the power play and penalty kill.

Ekblad's availability was also impacted during the 2024-25 campaign by a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA performance enhancement substances program that carried over into the postseason.

The playoffs were where Ekblad began to shine again as a top contributor, recording four goals and 13 points in 19 games as Florida beat Edmonton for a second