Value of: Ekblad next contract?

Ekblad has not led Panthers defensemen in both overall TOI and EV TOI since 2019-20. I.e., not a single season that they've actually made the playoffs.
Weegar took the mantle from Ekblad when he was getting injured every other month.
And even when Weegar was traded, both Forsling and Montour passed Ekblad on the depth chart in 2022-23.
 
It’s funny that everyone already knows it’s going to be a Seabrook 2.0 type contract yet a Gm making millions can’t wait to give him that contract
 
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Skjei got 7M at 30 years old after having a 47 point season and playing in a prime shutdown role vs elite competition.
Hanifin got 7.35M at 27 years old after multiple strong seasons in Calgary as a strong 2-way defender.

That was Forsling's market if he hit UFA. He is a similar caliber defenseman to those 2, thus he was not getting much more than that. That is not a knock at Forsling by any stretch of the imagination. All 3 are very good defensemen but none have ever scored 50+ points in a season. Hell, look what Slavin just signed for in July, just under 6.4M. And he's widely considered a top 10 defenseman in the league because of his defensive prowess. That is just simple how the market was a year ago, now we have the cap projected to be over 100M in 2 years
I'm not saying he would've made Jones/Nurse money, but I wouldn't have been too surprised if he had. Slavin took a big discount to stay, pretty sure we all know that, as did Forsling. Hanifin is a good comp, likely somewhere between the two you mentioned. imho
 
If I were Aaron, I’d take a small hit in AAV to get a full 8 years. We all know he’s gonna end it on LTIR so he might as well get it on the back end and win another one too.

7m x 8 years would be good for both sides, especially with Florida tax.
 
Been the #1 dman for the Panthers through their window and is the clear #1 dman on the market this offseason. Panthers are missing him pretty badly right now, which might make them reconsider letting him walk.

But what do we think he is getting offered if he hits UFA? Is he making 10M July 1st?
Panthers are missing Kulikov more than Ekblad
 
Trade 1m for another year… no way he gets more than 8 for a full 7 with his injury history and skating at his age.

He’d take home way more on a 7m x 8 in Florida than he would on a 9m x 5 pretty much anywhere else. Doubt he gets 7y
I think Ekblad is pretty underrated but you're severely overrating his numbers.
 
I think Ekblad is pretty underrated but you're severely overrating his numbers.
What do you think he’s going to get?

Top pair RD, skyrocketing cap. I don’t think there’s any way in hell he gets less than 7m unless he really, really wants to win again in Florida.
 
What do you think he’s going to get?

Top pair RD, skyrocketing cap. I don’t think there’s any way in hell he gets less than 7m unless he really, really wants to win again in Florida.
He has massive injury issues and now with this PED thing, I’m sure he’s not going to do as well as you think.
 
GMs will be tripping all over each other to sign a big, slow defenceman that went 1st overall to an abomination of a contract. Ekblad clears at least 7.5x7 at minimum.
 

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