After the Florida Panthers took home their second Stanley Cup victory, the spotlight shifted to Aaron Ekblad’s contract extension. His fandom and the NHL insiders were uncertain about Ekblad’s future with the Sunshine State. But, to everyone’s surprise, Bill Zito and the front office shocked fans by bestowing a massive eight-year $48.8 million contract extension deal on him. However, when things were opaque regarding his contract, Ekblad’s fellow defenseman always had a gut feeling that “[Ekblad] He’s going to be a Panther for life.”
When the speculations surrounded Aaron Ekblad’s unrestricted free agency, Gustav Forsling, who is Ekblad’s defense partner, didn’t even consider the thought of him playing elsewhere next season. Even when presented with the opportunity, Ekblad was also vocal about how much influence Forsling had on him, not only as his teammate but as his friend.
On July 2nd, Aaron Ekblad appeared in a virtual press conference with Florida Panthers. During the conference, one of the reporters asked, “I know that probably wasn’t one of the driving factors. But how much of a nice benefit is that you and Gus [Gustov] are now that top pair together for the foreseeable future?” And Ekblad showed a subtle disagreement, saying, “No, it was a driving factor, right?”
Image Credit: Instagram.com/Panthers_report
He further added, “When you’re looking at teams around the league, I don’t think there’s a better partner than Gus Forsling, and on top of that, a better group of guys. Guys that we’ve won with, guys that you’re willing to go to battle with.” He also added, “So that is absolutely a driving factor. It is the guys on the team and the camaraderie, and the chemistry that we’ve built together over the years. It means the world to me. They’re friends and brothers for life and definitely a driving factor.”
Interestingly, Ekblad is the second-longest tenured Panthers player behind captain Aleksander Barkov. Selected by Florida with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. After spending so much time with the team, he has built a strong and brotherly bond with not just Gustav but also with other guys who have been on the team for several years. “This organization does everything for the players. And it’s a special place to be, a special franchise, and I don’t think there’s a better one in the League,” stated Ekblad on June 18th, days before his deal extension.
On the other hand, during the recently concluded Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ekblad and Forsling played a crucial role in brining the Holy Grail home through their defensive techniques.
Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling’s unbeatable defence in the Stanley Cup playoffs
After summing up his stint with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, Gustav Forsling took a flight and landed in Florida. At that time, he might not have had an idea that he was going to be one of the killing defensemen in the league and win back-to-back trophies. After winning this year’s Cup, he posted a picture of himself hoisting the trophy on Instagram with a caption “Back to Back”. But as y’all know, he has been a real problem for the other 31 teams in the playoffs while getting in company with Aaron Ekblad.
Image via Instagram / @completehockeynews
He and Aaron tried every defensive tactic to stop the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final series, and they successfully managed to do so. Statistically and according to the NHL, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins, and Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers each failed to score an even-strength goal against them. While sharing his experience of being a problem for the opposing team’s offensive line, Forsling told NHL.com, “It’s kind of been my job the last rounds.” And also added, “Playing against the other team’s top line is always a challenge, but this probably is going to be the biggest.” And he got the help of Ekblad while stopping the other teams from scoring a goal.
To talk about their off-court bonding, when everyone was dubious about Ekblad’s future with the team, Forsling was very sure that his next season was going to be with the Panthers. Before Ekblad signed the latest deal, Forsling was talking to NHL.com, saying, “I love playing with him.” And now, there is no doubt the Panthers fans are going to see the defensive duo again on the rink.
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