With NHL free agency beginning in just three days, there will be quite a few big names that hit this year’s market.
One of those names that will be hitting the market is Florida Panthers’ defenseman Aaron Ekblad. In CBS Sports’ NHL free agency predictions, Chris Bengel predicted that the back-to-back champion will sign with the Detroit Red Wings.
“Ekblad has been a rugged, physical blue-liner throughout his tenure in Florida, and was a huge part of the team’s back end during the postseason. While he may not be in the mold of a Cale Makar or Zach Werenski from an offensive standpoint, Ekblad certainly can put the puck in the net. He’s tallied double-digit goals in three of the past five campaigns and is still just 29 years old,” Bengel said.
“Ultimately, I think Bennett and Marchand could be the bigger priorities and perhaps that leads to Ekblad walking out the door. The Red Wings could be a logical landing spot considering that Ekblad still has plenty of tread on his tires and could anchor Detroit’s young defensive core.”
Ekblad has said that he wants to stay in Florida, however, it seems that he may not be the Panthers main focus in free agency this season. Ekblad put up 33 points as a defenseman during the regular season and 13 more en route to a second Stanley Cup run.
If Ekblad did go to a team like Detroit, the Red Wings would benefit from having a veteran presence on the roster to help get them back to the playoffs.
