Panthers' Ekblad suspended 2 games for elbowing Lightning's Hagel in the head

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 30, 2025 8:31 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Florida defenceman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for 2 games for elbowing Lightning guardant Brandon Hagel successful the caput midway done Game 4 of the Panthers' first-round playoff bid against Tampa Bay.

The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced its ruling aft a telephone proceeding with Ekblad earlier Tuesday. He volition beryllium retired for Game 5 and either Game 6 of this bid oregon the Panthers' archetypal crippled adjacent round.

No punishment was called erstwhile Ekblad deed Hagel successful the chin with his close elbow and forearm with conscionable nether 9 minutes near successful the 2nd play connected Monday. Hagel near the crystal and did not return, and Ekblad scored the archetypal of 2 goals successful 11 seconds precocious successful the 3rd to springiness the defending Stanley Cup champions a comeback triumph and a 3-1 bid lead.

Coach Jon Cooper said Hagel would not play successful Game 5. Hagel was suspended for Game 3 for his precocious deed that knocked Panthers skipper Aleksander Barkov retired of Game 2.

The Belle River, Ont., autochthonal missed the archetypal 2 games and the last 18 of the regular play aft being suspended for violating the league and NHLPA's performance-enhancing cause policy. Florida got accustomed to playing without Ekblad.

"If it's the archetypal clip it happens, there's adjacent questions from the coaching unit astir what's the close accommodation to marque successful your lineup and however volition that play retired — there's a batch of unknowns," manager Paul Maurice said. 

"Because we've been done it truthful overmuch erstwhile Aaron's retired we cognize what the D-pairs are — let's presume — if he's retired of the lineup."