Panthers' Aaron Ekblad Suspended 2 Games for Elbowing Lightning's Brandon Hagel
As the Florida Panthers look to seal a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL playoffs, they'll have to do so without a key defenseman.
NHL Player Safety announced Tuesday that Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head during Monday's game.
In the third period of Florida's 4-2 win on Monday, Ekblad skated into Hagel and elbowed him in the head as Hagel tried to make a play on the puck. Hagel's head hit the ice, and he was removed from the game because of concussion concerns.
Ekblad was not penalized for the hit and remained in the game, later scoring a game-tying goal with just over three minutes to play. Seth Jones scored what would be the game-winning goal less than a minute later.
Per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Ekblad met with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Tuesday for a hearing regarding the hit. Even before the suspension, the Panthers were preparing to be without Ekblad.
“We’ve been through it with Aaron out,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said, per The Athletic's Josh Yohe. “Let’s assume he’s out of the lineup. If he’s not, we’ll go with what we’ve got.”
Hagel, who already missed part of the series after being suspended for a hit against Aleksander Barkov, will not play in Game 5.
"He's not playing tomorrow. And you know why," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, per Wyshynski.
Ekblad's suspension marks what has been a rocky stretch for him recently. Before the postseason, he served a 20-game suspension for violating the league's Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
The Panthers hold a 3-1 lead over the Lightning and will look to end the series with a win on Wednesday. Ekblad will miss Game 4 and either Game 5 of the first round or Game 1 of the second round series, which will be against either the Toronto Maple Leafs or Ottawa Senators.
Lightning vs. Panthers Betting Odds, Player Props and Picks for April 28
The road team is 3-0 in the NHL first-round series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.
Florida lost Game 3 despite a 12-shot advantage in attempts on net.
The Panthers will pressure Andrei Vasilevskiy’s net once again in Monday’s Game 4, and that leads to plenty of player prop opportunities from that side of the ice.
Andrei Vasilevskiy Over 26.5 Saves (-135)
Andrei Vasilevskiy was forced into 34 saves in Game 3.
That goes along with the trend at Amerant Bank Arena over the last two postseasons.
Vasilevskiy made 25, 34 and 33 saves in three away games versus the Panthers last postseason. Two of those three games, and Saturday’s Game 3, finished in regulation.
There were six other occurrences last season in which Florida forced the opposing goaltender into at least 28 saves between their three other series with Boston, the New York Rangers and Edmonton.
Sam Bennett Over 0.5 Points (-115)
Sam Bennett was Florida’s most productive player in the offensive zone over the first three games.
Bennett contributed four points and put a team-high eight shots on the Tampa Bay net.
It’s easy to pick one of Florida’s more notable stars, like Matthew Tkachuk or Sam Reinhart, but Bennett just continues to produce.
The second-line center has recorded a point in every game of the series. He’s dangerous as a scorer because of how many pucks he puts on net. He’s lethal as a passer as well with Tkachuk on his line at even strength and as a member of Florida’s second power-play unit.
Florida Moneyline (-148)
Florida’s postseason trend tells us that it will finish the game with more shots on goal than Tampa Bay.
The Panthers’ recent history also tells us they are more likely to win at home. They are 9-5 on home ice since the start of last postseason.
Rangers vs. Panthers Revealed for NHL Winter Classic 2026 with Vice City Theme Photo
The Winter Classic is headed to Florida for the first time in NHL history.
The New York Rangers and Florida Panthers are set to face off in the 2026 event at the Miami Marlins' LoanDepot Park.
The NHL has previously played outdoor games in locations including Los Angeles, Dallas and Nashville, but the upcoming Winter Classic will mark the southernmost outdoor game in league history.
The contest will also mark the first time the Panthers have played in an outdoor game.
The Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes) is set to be the only NHL club without an outdoor game on its record. The Columbus Blue Jackets are slated to compete outdoors for the first time in March during a Stadium Series matchup with the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Rangers will be playing in the franchise's sixth outdoor contest, tying the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers for the second-most in NHL history.
The Rangers most recently competed outside in February 2024, when the Blueshirts claimed a 6-5 overtime win over the New York Islanders at MetLife Stadium.
The Chicago Blackhawks, who played the St. Louis Blues during the 2025 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, hold the all-time NHL lead with seven outdoor games.
The NHL will now hope to hold a game between two playoff competitors when the Panthers and Rangers take the ice next season.
The Rangers have struggled early in the 2024-25 campaign but are looking to bounce back behind star goaltender Igor Shesterkin and 2021 Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox alongside scorers like Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad.
The Panthers, who landed their first outdoor game after defeating Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup, are set to bring back key members of their championship team including Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky next season.
The first Winter Classic took place in 2008 between the Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. The Panthers and Rangers will be playing in the 17th edition of the event.
Paul Maurice, Panthers Agree to Contract Extension After Winning 2024 NHL Stanley Cup
The Florida Panthers continued their 2024 Stanley Cup celebration by announcing a multi-year extension for head coach Paul Maurice on Tuesday.
Maurice is in the 27th season of a head coaching career that began with the Hartford Whalers in 1995.
He led the Panthers to two Stanley Cup Final appearances and a 98-58-15 regular-season record over his first two seasons with the franchise.
Panthers general manager Bill Zito said in a statement that Maurice is a "superb communicator and leader for our staff and players, possessing a keen strategic mind for the game."
Maurice's previous deal with the Panthers was reportedly set to expire after the 2024-25 season. The three-year contract he signed in 2022 was worth approximately $4 million per season, Pierre LeBrun previously reported for The Athletic.
Prior to last spring, Maurice had led the Carolina Hurricanes as far as the 2002 Stanley Cup Final in 2002, but his team lost in five games to the Detroit Red Wings.
Then Maurice was given the chance to take over the Panthers after the team claimed the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy with their 122-point campaign in 2021-22.
In the two seasons since the Panthers have ranked among the top ten offensive teams in the NHL with 35.1 shots on goal per game, 3.37 goals per game and a 23.0 percent power play success rate.
Florida's defense also limited opponents to 2.41 goals against and 27.8 shots against per game last season, the lowest totals in franchise history.
The balanced offense and defense, as well as a physical playing style, allowed Maurice to lead a roster starring Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Sergei Bobrovsky to a first Stanley Cup for both the franchise and their coach.
The Panthers have opened the 2024-25 season atop the Atlantic with a 4-2-1 record. Maurice and the defending champions return to action on Tuesday night with a home game against the 3-0-2 Minnesota Wild.
Panthers Unveil 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Championship Rings in Video, Photos
The Florida Panthers unveiled their 2024 NHL Championship Rings on social media on Monday.
The ring is adorned with the word 'Freedom' on the inside, along with the names of the teams they defeated during the playoffs, each crossed off. It is secured inside a box with a screen that plays Panthers highlights and pivotal moments from the series.
The Panthers finished its season 52-24-6 with 110 total points while grabbing the Stanley Cup in a 4-3 series victory over the 49-27-6 Edmonton Oilers.
Led by points leader Sam Reinhart, who had 94 points and 57 goals this season, the Panthers won their third conference championship and their first Stanley Cup.
Under third-year head coach Jay Woodcroft, who holds a 79-41 overall record, the Panthers bounced back after a second-round exit in the 2022-2023 NHL Playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Florida will open its 2024-2025 season on Tuesday, Oct. 8 against the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.