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Aaron Ekblad

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Aaron Ekblad
2014 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Born (1996-02-07) February 7, 1996 (age 28)
Windsor, ON, CAN
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 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 5 1 2 3 4
2013 Canada Ontario U17 6th 5 2 4 6 4
2013 Canada IH18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 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

  1. ^ "Colts Select Aaron Ekblad First Overall". OurSports Central. May 6, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Ekblad 'overwhelmed' after going No. 1 in Draft". National Hockey League. June 28, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  3. ^ "Aaron Ekblad". Elite Prospects. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  4. ^ "Ekblad Receives Ferguson Award". Barrie Colts. June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  5. ^ "Aaron Ekblad first defenceman named 'exceptional player'". The Star. September 21, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  6. ^ "Exceptional Player Status for Sean Day". Ontario Hockey League. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  7. ^ "Ekblad earns four top honors in OHL coaches poll". National Hockey League. March 19, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  8. ^ "Darien Ekblad". Ontario Hockey League. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  9. ^ "OHL Announces 2013-14 All-Star Teams". Ontario Hockey League. May 14, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Winner of the Emms Family Award
2011–12 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Jack Ferguson Award
2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by NHL first overall draft pick
2014 		Succeeded by
TBD
Preceded by Florida Panthers' first round draft pick
2014 		Succeeded by
TBD

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