Aaron Ekblad
Aaron Ekblad | |||
---|---|---|---|
![]() | |||
Born |
Windsor, ON, CAN | February 7, 1996||
Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
Weight | 216 lb (98 kg; 15 st 6 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shoots | Right | ||
OHL team | Barrie Colts | ||
NHL draft |
1st overall, 2014 Florida Panthers | ||
Playing career | 2011–present |
Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian major junior ice hockey defenceman, and a prospect for the NHL's Florida Panthers. Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2011 OHL Entry Draft,[1] and he was selected 1st overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.[2]
Playing career
In 2010–11, Ekblad competed for the Sun County Panthers minor midget AAA team in Belle River, Ontario. He had 34 points in 30 regular season games and added 21 points in 18 playoff games.[3] He captained the team and lead them to an alliance championship.[4]
OHL
Ekblad’s application to be the only player born in 1996 in the draft was approved unanimously, after a six week review by Hockey Canada. With the approval, Ekblad became the first defenceman ever granted "exceptional player" status.[5] The status allowed him to compete in the Canadian Hockey League a year earlier than his eligible age. The only other players to have been given such eligibility are centre John Tavares in 2005, Connor McDavid in 2012 and Sean Day in 2013.[6]
In the 2014 OHL Coaches Poll, the results of which were released in Toronto, he won top honors in four different categories in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League, earning first-place finishes for best shot, hardest shot, best offensive defenseman, and best defensive defenseman. He was also voted second in the category of best penalty killer, behind Oshawa Generals forward Scott Laughton.[7]
NHL
Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers on June 27, 2014.[2]
Personal
His brother, Darien, a goaltender, was drafted by the London Knights. Currently, Darien is playing Junior C for the Essex 73s, and his OHL rights are owned by the Saginaw Spirit.[8] He attended St. Anne's Catholic High School, and was an honour roll student in the WECDSB. Ekblad was born in Windsor, Ontario, but grew up in Belle River, Ontario.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2011–12 | Barrie Colts | OHL | 63 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 34 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
2012–13 | Barrie Colts | OHL | 54 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 64 | 22 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 28 | ||
2013–14 | Barrie Colts | OHL | 58 | 23 | 30 | 53 | 91 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14 | ||
OHL totals | 175 | 40 | 76 | 116 | 189 | 44 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 50 |
International
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Canada Ontario | U17 | ![]() |
5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2013 | Canada Ontario | U17 | 6th | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | |
2013 | Canada | IH18 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
2014 | Canada | WJC | 4th | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
Junior totals | 22 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 14 |
Awards and honours
Honours | Year |
---|---|
Jack Ferguson Award - OHL Priority Selection Draft Top Pick | 2011 |
Emms Family Award - OHL Rookie of the Year | 2011–12 |
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament – Gold with Team Canada | 2013 |
Max Kaminsky Trophy - OHL Top Defenceman | 2013–14 |
OHL First All-Star Team[9] | 2013–14 |
References
- ^ "Colts Select Aaron Ekblad First Overall". OurSports Central. May 6, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ a b "Ekblad 'overwhelmed' after going No. 1 in Draft". National Hockey League. June 28, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "Aaron Ekblad". Elite Prospects. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "Ekblad Receives Ferguson Award". Barrie Colts. June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "Aaron Ekblad first defenceman named 'exceptional player'". The Star. September 21, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "Exceptional Player Status for Sean Day". Ontario Hockey League. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "Ekblad earns four top honors in OHL coaches poll". National Hockey League. March 19, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "Darien Ekblad". Ontario Hockey League. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ "OHL Announces 2013-14 All-Star Teams". Ontario Hockey League. May 14, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
External links
- 1996 births
- Living people
- Barrie Colts players
- Canadian ice hockey defencemen
- Canadian people of Swedish descent
- Florida Panthers draft picks
- Ice hockey people from Ontario
- People from Essex County, Ontario
- People from Windsor, Ontario
- National Hockey League first overall draft picks
- National Hockey League first round draft picks