Aaron Ekblad
| Aaron Ekblad | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ekblad with the Florida Panthers in 2023 | |||
| Born |
February 7, 1996 Windsor, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team | Florida Panthers | ||
| National team | Canada | ||
| NHL draft |
1st overall, 2014 Florida Panthers | ||
| Playing career | 2014–present | ||
Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft, and he was selected first overall by the Panthers in the 2014 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut that year. In his first NHL season, Ekblad was selected for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game and earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's best rookie in the 2014–15. Ekblad won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Panthers in 2024 and 2025.
Prior to joining the NHL, Ekblad played major junior ice hockey for the Barrie Colts of the OHL. He was granted exceptional player status unanimously by Hockey Canada, which allowed him to play in major junior level a year early. Ekblad is the leader in games played and points scored by a defenceman in Florida Panthers franchise history.