NHL Insider Confirms Red Wings Among Top Contenders to Land Aaron Ekblad
Detroit Red Wings reportedly one of three top contenders to land Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad in free agency.
Image
The Florida Panthers play Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday with it being their potential last chance to leave an impact with this team. Many of the key players are pending free agents including top defenceman Aaron Ekblad.
Advertisement
Florida's first overall pick back in 2014 may be finally leaving the team he's spent his entire 11-year NHL career with in favour of more money elsewhere. One of the reported top suitors for Ekblad is the Detroit Red Wings.
It's no secret the Red Wings are looking to fill holes on their backend and Ekblad could work as a solid foundational piece towards the future. The 29-year-old Windsor native grew up with the Red Wings always in his life, with Detroit just across the river.
More Hockey: First Six Players Named For Each Nation, New 2026 Olympic Betting Odds
This should give the Red Wings a notable leg up over the competition as they are his hometown team of sorts and would allow Ekblad to be close to home where his family resides.
It's very early on in the process as another Stanley Cup with the Panthers could make an impact on his final decision but if Ekblad does choose to test the market, Detroit is one of the favourites if not the favourite to land him.
Advertisement
Ekblad is known for his size, poise, and two-way game that helped him log 33 points in 56 games this past season while averaging nearly 24 minutes of ice time.
Despite a 20-game suspension in March for violating the NHL's performance-enhancing substance policy, Ekblad returned to the lineup and has played a key role in Florida returning to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third straight season. This postseason, he's recorded 12 points through 18 games.
More NHL: Malkin's Last Ride? Penguins Star Nears NHL Farewell Against the Odds
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
8 minutes ago
- CBS News
Sophomore track star from Massachusetts also empowering young Black women
A student at Newton North High School in Massachusetts has taken the track and field world by storm while making waves in her community, all before she begins her junior year. "I started track in the seventh grade, I mostly wanted to do it because my big sister and my dad did it before me, so I was like wait, why don't I just do track," said Blake MacNeal. "And then I started it and I actually really like it, I like the community, I like hanging out with my friends." Ranked state wide in track events MacNeal currently ranks third in the state for long jump and second for triple jump, an incredible feat for any athlete, let alone a high school sophomore. She's also in the top 15 in the state for hurdles. "I do a lot of jumping because I really like flying, I really like the feeling that I was flying," said MacNeal. "In hurdles, it was like the same thing but now, I feel like it's a lot harder just because the competition has ramped up so much. But I feel like in practices, I still feel like it's my favorite thing to do. Hurdles is my favorite sport, I just love the feeling of it and I love constantly trying and pushing myself." "She's achieved so much at such an early age and she's very humble about it as well and she hasn't become complacent. Another thing I admire about her is she continues to push herself even though she's had a lot of success," said her father, Roderick MacNeal. "It's almost surreal that I have a child that is excelling the way she is." Founded nonprofit to support young Black women MacNeal's achievements don't stop on the track. She's also the founder of the nonprofit Her Space, aimed at supporting young Black women who navigate predominantly white environments in schools and communities. "Her Space, like a space for women to thrive," said MacNeal. "When you have people you can relate to at a young age, it helps you feel welcome in areas, it helps you feel included and I feel like feeling included is such an important thing, feeling like you have someone there for you is just so important, it's such a valuable experience to have at such a young age that we want to allow them to grow up with people that they can relate to."
Washington Post
13 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Lefty Shota Imanaga will rejoin the Cubs next week in St. Louis
CHICAGO — Left-hander Shota Imanaga will rejoin the Chicago Cubs early next week in St. Louis following a sharp Triple-A rehab start on Friday, manager Craig Counsell said Saturday. Counsell wasn't sure when Imanaga would be slotted into Chicago's rotation but said before the Cubs' game against the Seattle Mariners that the 31-year-old 'is gonna make his next start in the big leagues.'
New York Times
22 minutes ago
- New York Times
NHL rumblings: Who was in on Toews, plus latest on Marner, McDavid, Tavares, Robertson and more
The Winnipeg Jets were the front-runners for Jonathan Toews from the get-go. His relationship with Jets chairman Mark Chipman was a big part of it, and Toews' desire to play for his hometown team was a natural allure. But that doesn't mean that his camp, led by agent Pat Brisson, didn't talk to other teams once it was announced May 29 that it was 100 percent Toews was coming back. The Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs were among the 15 teams that spoke with Brisson about their interest in Toews. Advertisement The Leafs are dying to find the keys to a deeper playoff path, and Toews would have been a wonderful addition from that perspective. It was a no-brainer for general manager Brad Treliving to poke his nose in there, but the Leafs got the sense early it was Winnipeg or Colorado for Toews. The young Habs could have used Toews' Stanley Cup-winning experience, too, to be sure. The Avs are trying to find their way back to another Stanley Cup, and adding Toews to that talented mix would have put him in a position where he didn't have to lead but could find a way to become impactful. Colorado was seriously interested and had a chance to talk directly with Toews and felt it had a real good role for him there — don't forget Charlie Coyle could have easily slid over to wing — but ultimately was the runner-up. The fit is similar in Winnipeg, where there's also a deep, talented roster. Toews doesn't have to be Superman there. 'When it comes to fitting into the lineup, this is more about where he will finish than where he will start,' Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told The Athletic on Saturday. 'His contributions will grow as he becomes more comfortable with his surroundings. Every year, a team has to find out who they are and what each player brings to the collective group. That's why each season brings a new challenge and what drives each individual player. 'In today's game, it's not about jumping over the boards first, second or third. It's about how you influence the people around you when you are out there. JT could have chosen to just sit on the sidelines and watch time pass by, but he has chosen to embrace the new challenge of working with a group of guys to achieve something special.' If all goes well, and Toews rediscovers some of his old form after not playing for two and a half years, he could be the second-line center on a team that has one of the very best third-line centers in the league in Adam Lowry (when he's healthy again). Advertisement But what's clear from Cheveldayoff's comment is that Toews will have a chance to find his form. He won't be rushed into a role he might not be ready for. Here are more rumblings from around the league as we head into draft week. After making a number of calls around the league on it this past week, here's what I make of the Jason Robertson situation: The Stars aren't actively shopping him but are listening on him to educate themselves on the market and what teams might be willing to do at some point. Dallas correctly views his value as at its highest right now, given that he's still signed for another year at $7.75 million on the cap. At the same time, the Stars are also trying to gauge Robertson's camp, CAA and Pat Brisson, to get a feel for what their ask would be on the next contract. Robertson is set to be a restricted free agent on July 1, 2026. He can be extended as early as this summer. I do believe that if it's a contract that's fair, Dallas will extend him and keep him. But if the ask is perceived as too high without much wiggle room, it might get interesting as far as circling back to teams that have reached out. I think the market interest is already pretty robust for Robertson, as it should be. Either way, though, I don't see a quick resolution in the coming week or two. I think this is a slow-play situation where he's either extended by the end of the summer or traded in August. Connor McDavid spoke this week, and I think he was candid and clear: He's looking for reasons to stay with the Edmonton Oilers but also needs to have the team share its vision of what the next few years look like. Because winning is No. 1. All of which is why he's in no hurry to sign an extension right away when he's eligible July 1. How the Oilers front office handles the next few weeks will be important in communicating to No. 97 that they're still going to be an elite contender. Advertisement 'It's my job to connect with Connor in that way and demonstrate that that's what we're all trying do do,' Oilers GM Stan Bowman told Edmonton media members Friday. 'We all have the same objective.' So, message received. Leon Draisaitl didn't sign his extension until Sept. 3 last year, and people shouldn't freak out if McDavid still hasn't signed come training camp. It doesn't mean it will drag out that long. Perhaps something gets done swiftly by August, but the most important fact to remember is that there is no firm timeline his camp has declared as having to follow in this. Echoing what colleague Chris Johnston wrote this past week, I'm not in the camp of not believing McDavid will sign an eight-year max deal but rather a shorter one. Whether that's two years or three or five or six, time will tell. McDavid's agent is Judd Moldaver, who did a four-year extension for superstar Auston Matthews with the Maple Leafs two years ago. He isn't focused on eight-year max deals in all situations. And McDavid is still only 28. So a three-year deal, for instance, would put him back in an unrestricted-free-agent leverage position at 31, when he's still in his prime. Of course, there's always the small chance McDavid doesn't think the Oilers are set up to remain a contender and doesn't extend. I don't think that's the likeliest outcome, but it's not 100 percent off the table. Teams like the Los Angeles Kings, with former Oilers GM Ken Holland, are keeping a close eye. If and when McDavid ever leaves, it's a short list of markets that I believe would be a fit for him: L.A., the New York Rangers, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Dallas Stars, etc. It would not be a free-for-all, with 25 teams getting a chance at it. The rumor du jour — and it is very much that, as I've not confirmed it but have heard it now from two teams now — is that one option Mitch Marner is considering is a two-year deal at around $12 million to $13 million per year, positioning him to hit the market again when the salary cap skyrockets to $113 million or higher in a couple of years. Advertisement The risk is injury, of course, but at 28 now, he would be 30 when he is a UFA again if he went that route. The Vegas Golden Knights, the Stars and the Kings are among the teams that I believe are high on Marner's list. The Stars would be a long-shot fit given their financial commitment to Mikko Rantanen, but never say never. Sam Bennett's late-night declaration to fans at a bar Thursday was a clip that went viral. (I love how the Panthers celebrate Stanley Cups, by the way.) Bennett also made it clear on the ice Tuesday night after winning it all that he considered his teammates brothers and couldn't imagine being anywhere else. So we know Bennett wants to stay, and we know Panthers GM Bill Zito wants to make it happen. But there is still work to do to find a sweet spot on a deal. Somewhere between $7.5 million and just under $8 million on an eight-year deal seems like the spot, but will that be enough to get it done? Remember: Bennett was announcing his intention to stay late Thursday night, not an actual extension. I find it hard to believe the sides won't get there before July 1, though. Same as with Sam Reinhart a year ago. As colleague Frank Seravalli first reported, talks between the Calgary Flames and Rasmus Andersson's camp didn't go great recently regarding a possible extension that can be signed as early as July 1. The Flames still have Andersson under contract for another year and are comfortable having him play for them next season, but at the same time, my understanding is that GM Craig Conroy is now ready to listen on trade offers for the veteran right-shot defenseman. Whether that's a trade that happens this summer or waits until the deadline, both are on the table. There will be no shortage of interest in Andersson. Right-shot defensemen of his caliber are hard to acquire. He would be a great fit in Dallas, but how the Stars navigate that around their limited cap space is another matter. The Columbus Blue Jackets were among the teams in on Mason Marchment before Dallas shipped him to the Seattle Kraken. (About 20 teams showed different levels of interest in Marchment, but Dallas needed to move his entire salary and not retain.) Columbus has the most cap room in the league and is eager to add this summer. But the Jackets don't want to be a dumping ground for bad contracts. They want to add talent to a team that surprised everyone this past season and nearly made the playoffs. They thought Marchment would have been a solid add. They would absolutely enter the Mitch Marner sweepstakes if invited to do so. But unless something changes, I don't think the Marner camp has Columbus on its list of preferred destinations. At least not so far. It's been a strong couple of days for Kraken GM Jason Botterill, who basically swapped out the underachieving Andre Burakovsky ($5.5 million average annual value for two more years) for Mason Marchment ($4.5 million AAV). Marchment didn't have a strong playoffs for Dallas, but he's a more versatile player than Burakovsky in any universe and brings a different element to the Kraken. Marchment does need a new contract in a year, but he's an upgrade for Seattle by any measure. Advertisement There's still more than a week to go before July 1, but the Leafs and John Tavares' camp, led by agent Pat Brisson, still haven't found their sweet spot on an extension. Wherever each side is, it wasn't close enough as of Saturday. The stakes are high here. You've got a 34-year-old player who doesn't want to leave his home and a team that can ill-afford to lose a second-line center who just scored 38 goals and 74 points. Deadlines spur decisions. It's probably still going to get done, but it's a fascinating one to be sure. (Top photo of Mitch Marner and Connor McDavid: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
