Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for 20 games for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
With only 18 games left in their regular season schedule, the Panthers will be without Ekblad for the start of the postseason.
Ekblad released a statement through the NHLPA:
“As the NHL announced, I have been suspended for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock. Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel.”
“I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.”
The blueliner missed seven games in January with an undisclosed injury, returning to the Florida lineup on January 25.
He’ll forfeit a decent chunk of change per the CBA, under section 47.7 (b):
A Player suspended because of a positive test … will lose all … NHL Salary and Bonuses, but not including Performance Bonuses, from the effective date of suspension until ten (10) days prior to the conclusion of the suspension, inclusive of all intervening days. During such period, he will be prohibited from participating in all Club activities.
During the final ten (10) days of the suspension, the Player (i) shall be paid sixty (60) percent of his Paragraph 1 NHL Salary and Bonuses, and (ii) shall participate in Club activities (including meetings and practices), but not games.
Ekblad is in the final year of an eight-year contract averaging $7.5M per season. He has 33 points on the season with 3 goals and 30 assists.
From the NHL:
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment.
The National Hockey League will have no further comment on this matter.
Ekblad is the first player to be suspended under the NHL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy in early seven years; Nate Schmidt, then with the Vegas Golden Knights, also received a 20-game ban back in 2015.
Under the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player’s first positive test results in a 20-game suspension, with a second violation prompting a 60-game ban and a third a lifetime ban.
