“I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel,” Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said in early March. He made the statement after the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program handed him a “shocking” 20-game suspension for a failed test. Now the exile is finally over.

Besides missing the final stretch of the NHL regular season, what truly pained the hockey defenseman was that the timing of his suspension (March 10) was such that it kept him out of the first two games of the playoffs too. Ekblad made no effort to hide just how upset it made him. “That’ll be the toughest two games, of course; that’s obvious,” the 29-year-old confessed ahead of the playoffs. Yet, could this setback somehow work in his favor? Well, Aaron Ekblad’s coach certainly thinks so.

Labeling what happened to the elite defenseman as a “very unusual situation,” Paul Maurice explained how staying away from the ice has actually helped the player. “Usually, a player that’s out for 20 games has significant injury, and that really affects their rehab,” said Coach Maurice. Yet, that hasn’t been the case with Aaron Ekblad. In fact, he feels better than ever.

“I would say that Aaron’s probably in the best shape of his life right now. We’ll put him right back with his partner,” the Florida Panthers coach said ahead of Game 3 as per NHL.com. And that partner is none other than Gustav Forsling. This year, the Ekblad-Forsling duo proved to be a force to be reckoned with during the 2024-25 regular season, leading with 41–29 goals (scored vs. conceded) when they were on the ice. No wonder his return has got his teammates buzzing. “It’s huge for us,” forward Evan Rodrigues said. “Obviously, he’s an elite defenseman,” he added.

What’s more? Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling also helped the Panthers reach a 56.03% shot attempt ratio in last year’s championship-winning playoff run. Ekblad had a good season before the ban 20-game ban kicked in, with 33 points (3 goals, 30 assists) in 56 games. The NHL star has also made no attempts to hide that he can’t wait to get back in action.

Aaron Ekblad is itching to prove himself

While the 29-year-old was upset with the suspension, he made plans to stay on top of the situation from the beginning. “I’m just going to try and keep myself in as best shape as I can so that when great game three rolls around. It’s easy for me to come back in, and it’s not the first time that I’ve stepped into the playoffs cold, um, after injuries,” he said earlier this month.

The defenseman has indeed faced trouble before and during the playoffs. In 2023, the hockey icon played in the playoffs despite a broken foot and multiple other injuries. Last season didn’t go smoothly near the end either. “I don’t think he plays the rest of the regular season,” coach Paul Maurice said after Aaron Ekblad sustained an undisclosed injury in early April.

Yet we all know what happened when he finally returned.

This time, Ekblad even solved the problem of not being able to practice with his teammates during his suspension by developing unique solo drills based on his linemate Forsling’s plays. No wonder the Panthers’ star defenseman said, “I can’t wait for it (Game 3).” as per NHL.com. Meanwhile, the Panthers had no problem pulling off a defensive masterclass without Ekblad in Game 2.

Florida had the answer to everything the Lightning threw at them. Their high-scoring offense, which scored the most goals in the regular season, lost its fangs. Even their fifth-best power play in the league fell flat against the Panthers’ defense, yielding zero goals after five chances. So will the defending champions’ defense be even more watertight with Aaron Ekblad in the mix? Tell us what you think in the comments.