3 months agoFlorida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (upper body) is good to go for Saturday's game against the San Jose Sharks. After missing eight of the last nine games, Ekblad came through Friday's practice session without any issues. On Saturday morning, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice confirmed that Ekblad will be re-inserted into the lineup for the meeting with the Sharks. Ekblad will rejoin his regular partner Gustav Forsling on the first defensive pairing, bumping Dmitry Kulikov and Nate Schmidt down in the lineup. Schmidt will also relinquish his spot on the first power-play unit to Ekblad, who leads the Panthers blue-liners with 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) in 41 games. Tobias Bjornfot will come out of the lineup as a healthy scratch.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 months agoAccording to Jameson Olive of NHL.com, Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (upper body) practiced with the team on Friday. Olive noted that head coach Paul Maurice said the star defenseman "has a chance" to play against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday evening. The 28-year-old has missed eight of his previous nine games with this injury. However, seeing him skate alongside Gustav Forsling during practice suggests he is nearing a return. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status before the game on Saturday night. Through 41 games this season, Ekblad has scored twice and added 18 helpers. He has logged 59 hits, 55 blocked shots, and a +3 rating. If he does return to action, Tobias Bjornfot will likely exit the starting lineup.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jameson Olive
3 months agoFlorida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) will not play against Anaheim on Saturday. He will remain out of the lineup for a fifth consecutive game. Ekblad's next chance to return will be on Tuesday in a rematch with the Ducks. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has said he expects to have Ekblad available next week, so he should be ready for a comeback soon. On Saturday, Dmitry Kulikov will continue to operate on the first defensive pairing, while Nate Schmidt and Uvis Balinskis receive extra usage on the power play.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jordan McPherson
3 months agoFlorida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) will remain behind as the team kicks off the new week with road contests against Philadelphia and New Jersey. Ekblad is battling an unspecified ailment and has missed two of the past three games. Tobias Bjornfot played against Boston instead of Ekblad on Friday, with Dmitry Kulikov moving to the first defensive pairing. Uvis Balinskis logs time on the first power-play unit with Ekblad out, while Nate Schmidt also gets increased usage with the man advantage.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jordan McPherson
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