It’s been a wild ride lately for Aaron Ekblad, like, rollercoaster-upside-down kinda wild. Just last month, the Florida Panthers defenseman found himself in hot water again, this time getting slapped with a two-game suspension for throwing a not-so-subtle elbow at Brandon Hagel in Game 4 against the Bolts. The timing? Messy. Ekblad had just come off a hefty 20-game timeout for violating the league’s PED policy, making this new hit extra spicy. During that game, he charged down the boards, and while going in for contact, his elbow kinda… did a thing. It caught Hagel right in the head.
No whistle at the time, but the league circled back with receipts and dropped the hammer. But hey, fast-forward to now and look who’s back stirring the pot, yep, Ekblad’s making noise in all the right ways. In Game 5 against the Maple Leafs, dude pulled up with comeback energy and made it loud. Post-suspension, he’s out here showing grit, focus, and that signature fire the Panthers need.
David Dwork, the Panthers beat whisperer over at The Hockey News, popped off on X with some love for the blue-line beast, saying, “Aaron Ekblad now has points in five straight playoff games.” Yep, you heard that right. Ekblad’s out here stacking up playoff points like it’s a side hustle. And in Game 5? Oh, the man showed zero chill. He lit the lamp late in the first period, sneaking one past a crowded crease to give the Panthers that early 1-0 vibe over Toronto.
Aaron Ekblad now has points in five straight playoff games.
— David Dwork (@DavidDwork) May 14, 2025
Momentum? Yeah, he built it from scratch with that snipe, and the Cats were feasting from that moment on. The goal hit at 14:38, right when Florida had Toronto straight-up gasping for a clear. The Leafs couldn’t get rid of that loose puck in the slot, and Sam Reinhart, always lurking, found Ekblad, who snapped it home through a maze of bodies, past a totally screened Joseph Woll. That was Ekblad’s second tally this postseason, and Jesper Boqvist, stepping in for the sidelined Evan Rodrigues, got a shiny little assist too. The Panthers weren’t just skating, they were storming. And poor Woll? Dude was working overtime with 11 saves on 12 shots, while Sergei Bobrovsky barely had to stretch, turning away just three sleepy Leafs attempts in the first.
As for the Leafs… whew. Head coach Craig Berube tried shuffling the deck, tossed in Nick Robertson and David Kampf, scratched Jarnkrok and Holmberg, but it’s not giving what it was supposed to give. With the second period rolling and the Panthers sitting on a comfy 4-0 lead, Florida’s got Toronto in a full-on chokehold.
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