SUNRISE, Fla. – Sophomore slump? No thanks.
After capturing the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2014-15, former No. 1 overall pick Aaron Ekblad didn’t skip a beat during a second season of patrolling the blue line for the Florida Panthers.
As a consistent fixture on Florida’s top-defensive pairing, Ekblad scored a career-high 15 goals, including four game winners, to go along with 21 assists in 78 games. His 182 shots on goal were tops among all Panthers skaters and his 21:40 of ice time per game were second to only veteran defenseman Brian Campbell.