The Florida Panthers are on a quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. That quest, however, will have to continue without defenseman and alternate captain Aaron Ekblad.
On Monday, the NHL announced Ekblad had been suspended for 20 games for violating its banned substances rules. No specifics were given and the league declined to comment further on the decision.
Ekblad, 29, released a statement through the NHL Players Association shortly after the news broke, apologizing to his teammates and fans for his "mistake."
"The news that I had failed a random drug test was shocking," his statement read in part. "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," Ekblad continued. "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."
Panthers' Stanley Cup hopes take massive hit with Ekblad suspension
Ekblad, the first overall pick at the 2014 NHL Draft, has been a crucial component of the Panthers' offensive production from the blue line this year. He's only scored three times but his 30 assists lead all defensemen on the team (4th among all skaters).
The Panthers lead the Atlantic Division with 83 points and look poised to lock up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. But losing Ekblad's production and his plus-11 rating on defense could spell trouble for their title defense.
Ekblad's suspension begins Tuesday when Florida faces the Boston Bruins. It's the first time he's ever had to miss time for disciplinary reasons. The team only has 18 games remaining in the regular season, so he will miss the first two games of the Panthers' first-round playoff series.