Ekblad (undisclosed) is expected to play versus Utah on Wednesday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad was unavailable Monday versus the Avalanche, but it looks like that will be the extent of his absence. The 28-year-old defenseman took line rushes in warmups on the top pairing, and he should also feature on the power play in his return.

Ekblad (undisclosed) is considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's matchup against Utah, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad missed Monday's road game against the Avalanche due to an undisclosed issue, and his status for Wednesday's game is up in the air. Head coach Paul Maurice said that Ekblad will go through pregame warmups Wednesday and will play if he feels good afterward. Over his last 15 appearances, Ekblad has logged a goal, six shots, 22 hits, 19 blocked shots and 12 PIM while averaging 23:55 of ice time.

Ekblad (undisclosed) won't suit up in Monday's road game versus the Avalanche, per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad will miss his first game of the season Monday. Dmitry Kulikov will skate alongside Gustav Forsling on the No. 1 pair, and with Niko Mikkola (upper body) also unavailable, Tobias Bjornfot will make his 2024-25 debut. Ekblad's next chance to suit up will be Wednesday in Utah.

Ekblad (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision against Colorado on Monday, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad wasn't on the ice for practice Sunday or Monday, which would seem to point to him not being available to face the Avalanche. The blueliner is currently mired in a five-game point drought on top of a seven-game goal drought. Still, if he plays, Ekblad should see plenty of time with the man advantage and could break out of his funk sooner rather than later.

Ekblad notched a power-play assist and four shots on goal in Friday's 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad has racked up five points, including a pair of power-play assists, over his last three contests. His assist Friday set up Aleksander Barkov on the game-winner at 4:43 of overtime. Ekblad remains on the top pairing for the Panthers, and his offense has taken a step forward since he returned to power-play duties. He's up to 19 points, 64 shots on net, 48 hits, 47 blocked shots, 33 PIM and a plus-6 rating over 34 appearances. The blueliner had just 18 points over 51 appearances in the 2023-24 regular season.

Ekblad recorded one goal and two assists, including one on the power play, in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Wild.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad posted his first multi-point performance since Nov. 29, when he recorded two assists in a 6-3 win over the Hurricanes. Additionally, he cracked the scoresheet in back-to-back contests for the first time since late November. Ekblad has scored double-digit goals in eight of his previous 10 seasons with the Panthers. However, there's a realistic chance he might not reach the 10-goal threshold for the second consecutive campaign in 2024-25, as he has only two goals across 33 appearances. Plus, his current 3.3 shooting percentage would be a career-worst mark for the 28-year-old.

Ekblad notched an assist and two shots on goal in Monday's 6-5 win over the Oilers.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad ended a five-game drought when he helped out on Gustav Forsling's second-period tally. The 28-year-old Ekblad is now at 15 points, 57 shots on net, 47 hits, 47 blocked shots, 33 PIM and a plus-4 rating through 32 appearances. He's playing on the first pairing and first power-play unit, and he's well on his way to surpassing the 18 points he put up over 51 regular-season contests in 2023-24.

Ekblad scored a goal Saturday in a 6-0 win over Carolina.

EDGE Analysis

It was Ekblad's first regular-season goal since scoring against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 20, 2024. He is currently on a three-game, four-point scoring streak (nine shots), and he has 13 points in 25 games this season. Ekblad may never replicate his 57 points in 61 games in 2021-22, but he's a solid fantasy play as a possible 40-plus point defender with a strong plus-minus, some production on the power play and the willingness to wire the puck from the point.

Ekblad threaded two assists in Friday's 6-3 win over the Hurricanes.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad has yet to find the back of the net in 2024-25, but he's been productive lately with six helpers over his last seven games. The right-shot blueliner has only put 33 shots on goals through 24 games, but he does lead Florida's defensemen in scoring. Overall, Ekblad has accounted for 12 helpers and a plus-5 rating through 24 contests.

Ekblad recorded an assist in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Blackhawks.

EDGE Analysis

Ekblad set up a Sam Reinhart goal midway through the second period. This was Ekblad's second helper in the last three contests, and he's also been over 25 minutes of ice time in two straight games. The defenseman is up to eight assists, 26 shots on net, 30 hits, 27 blocked shots, 21 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 20 appearances.