Eastern Conference veteran receives 20 games suspension from the NHL after breaking serious rule

The Florida Panthers will sorely miss defenseman Aaron Ekblad's presence in the lineup. He won't be missing any games due to an injury, but due to his usage of PEDs.

It was reported today that the defenseman will be suspended from the NHL for 20 games, without pay.

He recently failed a mandatory drug test by the NHL. What are his next steps?

However, according to Ekblad himself, this was all a mistake, and one which cost him and his team dearly in the Eastern Conference as they have loaded up on talent for another Stanley Cup run.

Ekblad's mistake could end up costing the Panthers dearly if they fail to make a deep run in a tight Eastern Conference.

The team won the Stanley Cup last season, in a Panthers team that showed resolve after a tough defeat in the finals by Vegas in 2023.

Now, they'll have to rely on Seth Jones to pick up the pieces, while Ekblade is out for the next 20 games of NHL play.

Coincidentally, he is the first player since 2018 to violate the league's Performance Enhancing Substances program, and his teammate Nate Schmidt was the last to suffer the consequences.

Ekblad is a pending UFA, and this could hurt his stock in the offseason significantly it's a bad look whether he stays with the Panthers organization, or leaves.