Former No. 1 pick out at least two weeks for Panthers

Panthers blue-liner Aaron Ekblad will miss at least two weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters (via Jameson Olive of the team’s official site). The 2014 first-overall pick sustained the injury in Saturday’s win over the Flames, playing just over five minutes before exiting the contest. 

Maurice said Ekblad will be evaluated daily after the two-week mark, and the team aims for a return around the end of the month. He also said that winger Evan Rodrigues, who left the Calgary game with a lower-body injury in the second period, will be a game-time decision tomorrow in Dallas.

Ekblad appeared to sustain a left knee injury after colliding with new teammate Vladimir Tarasenko near center ice (video via Hockey Daily 365 on Twitter/X). The 28-year-old had logged two separate one-game absences due to lower-body injuries earlier this season, as well as a 16-game absence to begin the season while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. 

Battling through injuries, he’s had a diminished offensive impact, recording four goals and 17 points through 47 games. It’s his lowest per-game pace in seven years, although his possession metrics have remained high-end, with a 56.9 CF percentage and 52.3 xGF percentage. He’s also averaging less than 22 minutes per game for the first time since 2017, but he does have a +26 rating, tied for second on the team behind Gustav Forsling’s league-leading +47.

His absence leaves the Panthers with just one right-shot defenseman – Brandon Montour – on the active roster. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who shouldered top-pairing minutes early in the season with Ekblad and Montour both sidelined, will return to that role by skating on his off-side on a pairing with Forsling, who’s fresh off signing an eight-year extension.

As Ekblad is not expected to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, he’s not eligible for long-term injured reserve. Placing him on standard injured reserve offers no benefit, as the 23-player roster limit is now lifted post-deadline. Waiver claim Tobias Björnfot is available to draw into the lineup if additional injuries occur on the blue line, while Josh Mahura, who skated in all 82 regular-season games last season, re-enters the lineup after slipping to seventh on the Panthers’ defensive depth chart.

Rodrigues, 30, has avoided a major injury, meaning the Panthers will have their new-look top-nine with Tarasenko in the fold remain intact. Rodrigues, who’s been one of Florida’s better two-way forwards after inking a four-year, $12M deal last summer, has 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games.