According to coach Joel Quenneville, Ekblad (undisclosed) was unfit to participate in Friday's practice, David Work of WPLG Local 10 News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Quenneville is confident Ekblad will be ready to go "when games count," so at this point there's zero reason to believe he won't be available for Game 1 of the Panthers' qualifying round series against the Islanders. The 24-year-old blueliner racked up five goals and 41 points in 67 games during the regular season.