Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended 20 games without pay for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
The league announced the ban Monday. Shortly thereafter, in a statement released through the NHLPA, Ekblad said the news that he had failed a random drug test shocked him, and he apologized for the error.
“Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel,” Ekblad said. “I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.”
Ekblad, 29, missed eight of nine games during a stretch in January because of an undisclosed upper-body injury. The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers have 18 games left in the regular season, so Ekblad would then miss the first two playoff games before being eligible to return.
The No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, Ekblad has played his entire career with Florida. The Panthers acquired another right-shooting defenceman, Seth Jones, before the trade deadline, though it was unclear when the team learned of Ekblad’s positive test result and ensuing punishment.
Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, a player’s first positive test results in a 20-game suspension. A second is 60 and a third triggers a lifetime ban.
Ekblad is the first NHL player to be suspended for violating the league’s PED policy since Nate Schmidt in 2018. Schmidt was with Vegas at the time and is now teammates with Ekblad on the Panthers.
Ekblad’s suspension comes with a mandatory referral for evaluation and possible treatment under a league and players union program for substance abuse and behavioral health.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
tap here to see other videos from our team.