Aaron Ekblad suspended 20 games for PEDs

[FlameChampion]

I’d like to know when he tested positive. Were Florida allowed to trade for Jones knowing he would be out?

Almost feels like its timed so he comes back to a minimal punishment to not hurt the Panthers playoff push too much.

My post probably sounds like a conspiracy but I’m not sure how much anyone can trust the league,

Meanwhile Pinto gets half a year. Is that really worse? The League loves all the gambling and game management stuff.

 

[FinlandPanther]

I’d like to know when he tested positive. Were Florida allowed to trade for Jones knowing he would be out?

Almost feels like its timed so he comes back to a minimal punishment to not hurt the Panthers playoff push too much.

My post probably sounds like a conspiracy but I’m not sure how much anyone can trust the league,

Meanwhile Pinto gets half a year. Is that really worse? The League loves all the gambling and game management stuff.

Florida wanted Jones regardless. Their D looks excellent with him and PED bad boy.

 

[Shark Finn]

Only 20?

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

The NHLs testing is a joke anyways and I don't put much stock into it. Same with Schmidt a few years ago, can't sit here and act like the guy is juiced out of his mind for an unfair advantage. He got caught which sucks.

I wish it was more transparent like USADA was for the UFC. Would be interested to know if it was indeed steroids of some sort, and if the levels are actually indicative of someone who uses them to gain a competitive edge vs a temporary treatment, recovery, tainted supplement, or a trace amount.

Yeah sure...

https://www.wada-ama.org/en/news/wa...a-scheme-contravention-world-anti-doping-code

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) responds to a Reuters story of 7 August 2024 exposing a scheme whereby the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) allowed athletes who had doped, to compete for years, in at least one case without ever publishing or sanctioning their anti-doping rule violations, in direct contravention of the World Anti-Doping Code and USADA’s own rules.

I wonder how far it goes back, back to last years cup run maybe ? How we feelin' Oilers nation

He did it once and got caught, everybody is clean.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Imagine doping and still being that bad?

Getting caught doping in the NHL is like being caught breathing

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

He’s gonna be so swol come the playoffs.

 

[george14]

I always love when people are surprised by this. These guys are professional athletes looking to gain any edge they can. Cycling PEDs now is a sophisticated process and most of the time guys only get caught because they were unlucky.

Then they always blame a tainted supplement, tainted food, or boner pills. Never gets old.

 

[teugen]

Dude using PEDs and still a

 

[GrumpyKoala]

He didn't fail a drug test, he failed an intelligence test.

As someone that never had to do a drug test or work at a place that conduct them, do you care to explain why everyone seems to say that?

Do they just go and ask are you on drugs and Ek just fumbled a yes!

 

[TotalHomer]

Dammit Bettman you weren’t supposed to be this obvious in helping us win our 2nd cup

Between Bettman, taxes and PEDs I think we're still good even with minor hickups. Remember we also have a special relationship with the refs.

 

[surixon]

I’d like to know when he tested positive. Were Florida allowed to trade for Jones knowing he would be out?

Almost feels like its timed so he comes back to a minimal punishment to not hurt the Panthers playoff push too much.

My post probably sounds like a conspiracy but I’m not sure how much anyone can trust the league,

Meanwhile Pinto gets half a year. Is that really worse? The League loves all the gambling and game management stuff.

I'm assuming it was a while ago as I'm sure there would be an appeal process prior to the suspension being enforced.

 

[abax44]

As someone that never had to do a drug test or work at a place that conduct them, do you care to explain why everyone seems to say that?

Do they just go and ask are you on drugs and Ek just fumbled a yes!

You can cycle them to make sure you don't pop in season. Can also try to mask the PED, but masking agents should also raise suspicion. Depends what they're looking for, I suppose.

 

[Fatass]

Of course there are PEDs in hockey. Bigger, stronger, faster, more aggressive, quicker recovery.,Huge contracts living the nhl life.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

He's sadly not the only NHLer on the juice. The NHL has never cared much for the health of its athletes. It's about growing markets and making money.

Player fights, athletic performances and breaking records is good for the league. If ignoring concussion symptoms and/or taking PEDs helps you do that, the NHL is all for it.

There's minimal testing and suspensions, just to give a semblance of PR credibility on those issues, but that's it.

Player agents already have pre-written statements like the one Ekblad read, ready for use if their guys get caught. "Oh I didn't know what I took k tnx see you in 20"

 

[AD1066]

Of course there are PEDs in hockey. Bigger, stronger, faster, more aggressive, quicker recovery.,Huge contracts living the nhl life.

I'm more surprised there are posters who don't believe this to be the case.

Even with a lifetime of training and access to the best sports medicine, I had always assumed it's something of an open secret around the league.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Mehh no biggie. He’ll be back for the playoffs

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

He's sadly not the only NHLer on the juice. The NHL has never cared much for the health of its athletes. It's about growing markets and making money.

Player fights, athletic performances and breaking records is good for the league. If ignoring concussion symptoms and/or taking PEDs helps you do that, the NHL is all for it.

There's minimal testing and suspensions, just to give a semblance of PR credibility on those issues, but that's it.

Player agents already have pre-written statements like the one Ekblad read, ready for use if their guys get caught. "Oh I didn't know what I took k tnx see you in 20"

Why do you say “sadly”? All the players should be able to get on something if they want to.

 

[Regal]

I'm more surprised there are posters who don't believe this to be the case.

Even with a lifetime of training and access to the best sports medicine, I had always assumed it's something of an open secret around the league.

I think it’s because a lot of people still associate it only with giant bodybuilder physiques.

 

[Fatass]

I'm more surprised there are posters who don't believe this to be the case.

Even with a lifetime of training and access to the best sports medicine, I had always assumed it's something of an open secret around the league.

Igor Larionov wrote about PEDs in his book.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Here is what I dont get.


How in the hell did Ekblad not get tested after the 2023 playoffs? Considering what they revealed he played through? Did the league think he just gutted it out? Does every player who play through ridiculous injuries just pop tylenol? Like what are we doing here? lol

injected toradol is amazing.

at the start of December i hurt my back so bad i couldn't move and when i stood up my chest leaned 30 degrees right and my hip was sticking out to the left, on boxing day i got stuck on the couch, my girlfriend couldn't get me up or moving and was having really bad spasms and pain, she called paramedics and they gave me an injection of toradol and 20 minutes i was moving around like nothing happened.

This is what hockey players are getting injected with before games.

 

[Ratsreign]

I think it’s because a lot of people still associate it only with giant bodybuilder physiques.

True, and the funny thing about it being Ekblad is how he’s ragged on by many Panthers fans for having more of a Big Mac and large fry physique.
I believe that it was something he did to speed his recovery from recent injury. Contract year for him, he’s feeling the pressure to perform well enough to get one last fat (no pun intended) contract. Selfish decision that backfired on him.

 

[ShootIt]

Death, taxes and Ekblad missing games in March.

 

[Enniskillen]

Wait, so Florida won fake Cup cause Eckblad was ducking high all the time lol

 

[The Management]

Dude using PEDs and still a

Maybe PED stands for pylon enhancing drugs?

I'll see myself out.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Just in time for the playoffs. Get healed up Aaron lol

Lol no shit. MLB has it where these kinds of drug suspensions also come with automatic ineligibility for that year's postseason. Ekblad will be back for Game 3 of the first round, likely the first road game Florida plays in the first round. This won't hurt anybody at all except Ekblad losing game checks.