Panthers accused of using Ekblad to get around NHL's salary cap rules

Earlier today the NHL has announced it has suspended Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad for 20 games for violating the terms of its Performance Enhancing Substances Program.

From the NHL:

NEW YORK (March 10, 2025) – Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.

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 subsequently released a statement confirming accidental use of a performance enhancing substance (PED) in order to recover from an injury.

That's a rough, rough, ROUGH decision from Ekblad and one that will cost the Panthers dearly.

How good does that Seth Jones trade look now in light of this news?

Incidentally, NHL salary cap resource PuckPedia has confirmed that, surprisingly, Ekblad's $7.5 million annual salary will NOT count against the salary cap while he's suspended.

Wait... so the Panthers get a break because one of their players was busted using PEDs? How is that fair? How is that a reasonable rule? 

Needless to say, fans of rival teams are calling out this loop-hole in the rules and are calling the Panthers cheaters for circumventing the NHL's salary cap rules. Because, with Ekblad's salary now off the books they can go ahead and activate Matthew Tkachuk off the Injured Reserve at any time.

Now, of course, the Panthers could have just faked an injury or at least faked the severity of an injury to Ekblad to get the same result but the point still stands that the Panthers should be penalized for Ekblad's violation. But under the league's rules, they actually get a bit of a break. Not only does Ekblad's salary not count against the cap, they don't even have to pay him for the 20 games that he's suspended. That's a double-dip of cap savings for the Panthers by virtue of having one of their own players break league policy.