BOSTON — A defenseman winning the Calder Trophy is rare, but Florida Panthers rookie Aaron Ekblad is a rare talent.
Ekblad, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NHL draft, has played with the Panthers since Day 1 and is performing at a level rarely seen from defensemen age 18 or 19. Not only does Ekblad deserve a trip to Las Vegas as a finalist for the Calder, he should win it.
Ekblad, who will face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, has provided excellent scoring production from the back end, with 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists) in 75 games, which ranks eighth among all rookies and second among first-year defensemen. The 19-year-old also ranks second among all rookies with 21:57 of ice time per game, sixth in shots with 158 and tied for fifth in power-play points with 10.
In addition to his scoring, Ekblad is driving puck possession at an impressive rate. His 53.26 Corsi percentage at even strength is the fourth-highest among defensemen ages 18 to 21. When you combine Ekblad’s scoring and puck possession impact, it’s easy to see why he’s already capable of playing in a top-pairing role despite his inexperience (chart via Own the Puck).
Ebklad has excelled defensively, too. He has a high hockey IQ in his own zone and plays a physical style. It’s also one of the areas of his game that has improved the most since Opening Night.
“Sometimes earlier in the year I was trying to just take pucks and throwing them off the wall because I was nervous to hold on to it,” Ekblad said. “I feel confident that I can do those things now and play more of a possession game rather than giving it away all the time.”
Ekblad is fortunate to have two veteran defenseman — Brian Campbell and Willie Mitchell — to help him on and off the ice in Florida. Both have won Stanley Cup titles and are great mentors.
“Campbell has been my defense partner all year and he’s helped me like crazy,” Ekblad said. “Mitchell, I live with off the ice, so it’s always nice to have those kinds of guys not only challenging you, but teaching you and helping you get better.”
Ekblad, as you would expect, is focused first and foremost on helping the Panthers secure a playoff spot. The Panthers, along with the Bruins and Ottawa Senators, are battling for the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. That said, Ekblad is well aware of the possibility of him being a Calder finalist in June.
“Team focus for sure, but obviously it’s in the back of my mind,” Ekblad said. “I want to play well so I have the opportunity to win that honor, but in the end, if we don’t make the playoffs, obviously it’s not a big help to that. If we make the playoffs and play well as a team, it’s going to look good on myself and every individual in this room.”
There are a few other notable candidates for the Calder. Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau (60 points) and Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (59 points) lead all rookies in scoring and should receive plenty of consideration for the award. But given the rarity of a defenseman playing as well as Ekblad at such a young age, there’s no doubt he has enjoyed the more impressive season and should be the favorite.
Thumbnail photo via James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports Images
