OverDrive - Ekblad on capturing the Stanley Cup, the Panthers' game style and methods to winning

Episode Date: September 15, 2025

Florida Panthers Defenseman Aaron Ekblad joined OverDrive to discuss winning the Stanley Cup with the Panthers, the process in re-signing in Florida, the difference between home and road in the playoffs, the Panthers' culture on the roster, the team's methods leading to success and more.

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See dealer for details. There's Aaron Eck Cloud. What's up, Aaron? Hey, guys, thanks for having me. Yeah, thank you for doing it. This is your third year in a row with a short off season. Is this just becoming custom now? Does it still feel short for you or what?

I'm not going to lie, this one has felt the shortest, to be honest. It's been a quick turnaround, obviously, having to wait a little bit to get the deal done with Florida. Made it a little bit stressful at the beginning, but it's been great so far. How was it doing the contract? Everyone was talking about how many teams were interested. I know you wanted to stay. Just kind of take us through that and how much it meant to you to stay a Panther. Yeah, I mean, well, obviously, I don't know exactly what the market was because I never got.

to it. But at the end of the day, it was always Florida. We had some work to do to get it to a position where it was, you know, the right thing to do was signing it. But, you know, they came around and I'll be a Panther for life and I couldn't be more proud and excited. Take us through the thought process down the stretch because we were talking off air. You know, you were a team that started on the road in every series. It wasn't like, you know, hey, we won the division. Hey, we were just kind of cruised and protected our health, you know, in the end, you kind of had to put it all together once the playoffs hit. You know, was there any concern in the dress room, or did you feel like you would be able to kind of turn it on when it mattered?

Yeah, I didn't think there was any concern in the dressing room. Our game kind of is the same no matter what all the time. I think the idea to get guys rest is important. I don't believe that home ice advantage matters until game seven of staying like a final. where you're, you know, you're having to travel. That extra, you know, travel days is kind of tough. And, you know, we've saw that in the Edmonton series a couple years ago. It's not that easy to do that. But otherwise, I don't think it's a big deal to be on the road to start series.

I think it's sometimes even an advantage when you can get that first game. Well, how is that established? Like, is that a Paul Maurice initiative? like that's a mentality you guys need to just develop or you've just naturally developed that as a team where you guys are so comfortable regardless of where you play in the playoffs? It's just the idea of like the games

is the same no matter what. We're not changing anything. So yeah, you get your matchups at home but everybody plays the exact same way. We do the exact same thing. Every forward, every defenseman you're required to do the exact same thing. whether it's going to get pucks and breaking it out

or dumping it in every single time when you get to the red line. I'm sure we got the most dumpins of all time at this point. It must make you laugh, though, looking at other teams that are trying to reinvent the wheel and they talk about, I found it fascinating some of the clips from you guys in the finals and the playoffs where it's not about all these high-tech things

and numbers and different stats. It's very simple. Get it in, go after it, and get it back. Yeah, we have some rules, right? Obviously, I'm not going to say them on here and give it all away. I mean, it would be pretty obvious. I'm sure if you watch some of our games. But there's some rules that we follow as a team,

and we've been able to add to those rules as we've gotten more comfortable year over year. And, you know, be more a dynamic team because of it. And, you know, there's only, we're only getting better out of year over year. With Aaron Eckblatt, when you say add to those rules, like, what do you mean by that? Like, allow more freedom because you can. guys have figured it out and paul knows you're going to abide by the rules or how do you add rules after you've won a stanley cup um because you can only focus on so many things every single day until they become second nature and then you can you know grab a few more things sure there's a little

bit more freedom of course um within those rules but uh yeah without i mean without giving too much and too much detail it's yeah just as you get comfortable you have the same team you're over year, the same players, everybody gets comfortable with it. The guys that have left our team could, I'm sure, tell you all those rules, right? It's a simple thing. How quickly did it take Brad Marchand to settle into the room and, you know, really take that third line to the next level? Oh, he's incredible. Playing with Lucy and Lundy, that line was so damn good. I guess that's a question for him, how long we take to settle in. It didn't seem like very long with the playoffs that you had. With Aaron

Ekbladden, you guys, it's almost become like this folklore, the camaraderie you have, you know, and you've spoken of it, Chuck spoke of it, Marshall, everyone did. You all go for, you go for dinners together, you go. Ice cream. Ice cream, you go, you know, sonnas to everything. Like, is that

100% accurate, or are you guys putting it on? Like, are you guys fully committed to all team all the time, or is it easier to project that after you've won so much? No, I mean, we're obviously a tight team, and it helps when we've been together for long periods of time. In the playoffs, it's all team all the time.

You don't go for a dinner without, you know, all 30 guys and the trainers and everybody. In the regular season, obviously, we're not, you know, doing dinner as a full team every single night, but we have a ton of team dinners, a ton of team events. We all live close to each other in Fort Lauderdale. That's the best part. Well, living down there, like this is, like, Noodles, you were a Panthers alumni, and you had, You had the Cadillac. Nine games.

Yeah, nine games, but still you're... But I had the caddy. Panthers, Panthers alumni. It was a very different time. Like, with all the respect to your portion of Panthers' history, it wasn't like you guys were winning a lot or going to the playoffs necessarily. There weren't a lot of people kind of buzzing. And now when you consider what has been created,

and you've seen both ends of it, Aaron, like when you got there, you were a first overall pick for a reason. They were not a good team, you know, and it was... They were not at the forefront of any NHL conversation. and this is all you've known at the NHL level. But like how much is it developed in terms of the marketplace? And how much of you benefited and do you think your team benefits from being as good as you are, as connected as you are, but playing in the market you're playing in where you guys are big

and you're popular, but it's not like, you know, maybe with the Leafs or the Rangers or the Havs would have to deal with on a daily basis? Do you think that benefits you guys? Yeah. no doubt it does. I love it. Obviously, I think it would be almost difficult for me at this point to play in a big market because I just, I wouldn't know what I'd be stepping into. It was funny. The Stanley Cup the other night, two nights ago, was at True Luxe on the beach. There was probably 10 of us players. It was Tim Wittenauer, who's one of our manual, like, head athletic trainers. And it was his day. with the Stanley Cup and we were just having, you know, just some cocktails at Truelux and there was, like I said, 20, 30 people there and Stanley Cup sitting outside and, you know, nobody even really stopped to look at it. Like, it was amazing, right? So that's, that's how Florida is. It's,

it's quiet, but, you know, the fan base that we do have is awesome and they've been nothing but great to me over the years. So, yeah, pretty crazy. I couldn't believe it. Like, even the car is driving by, I don't even noticed it. And it was just sitting on the balcony. That's wild, man. Anybody could have just walked up and came to see it. Yeah. Pictures, selfies, whatever. Oh, we're good.

I guess I've seen enough of it at the elbow room after you guys have won back to back. True enough. How many overdrive updates do you get from your brother? I get all my updates from my brother. I'm not like the biggest student of the game. So, you know, when they were texting me to do this interview, I've gotten a little bit picky and choosy with what I do and because he's a fan of you guys

and obviously former players that's the ones I say yes to the most so Hayes is a fraud I did find out that you are I did find out that you are a Barry alumni that's right man I laid the framework down for you man I was I crawled so you could walk

up in Barry I brought the I brought the Stanley Cup to I think It's not the Moulson Center anymore. Yeah, I don't know what it's called. Not the Moulson Center, but. Yeah, the Sattlon Arena, yes. Cool, man.

Yeah, that's a great rank. I brought it there. Brought it there on my Cup Day. Out of boy. There you go. Beautiful. How about that? It's a couple of alumni.

I could tell that made you feel good. Well, a bit of a big, at least I'm included. Fraud to start off with. And then backed it up and said you actually played for the Barry. Which is natural. There you go. Which is natural. So shout out to the whole Eckblad crew.

Good luck this year, man. You guys needless to say are the favors to do it again. Like four years in a row, have you put any thought into that? You said it's a short summer. Once you guys get running again, like the whole league's chasing you down. No one's done that since the Islanders, I believe, four years in a row going to a cup final. Like, is this going to be the most difficult one, you think? Yeah, we're gearing up for another hard training camp, so that should be fun.

Yeah, I mean, it's normal at this point, obviously, when you look back on it, back-to-back Stanley Cups and three trips to the finals, it's crazy. It's hard to believe, especially with where we came from. But, yeah, I'm really excited to get going. Well, you guys are the PACE car, and you have been for a long time. So, congrats on all the success. Congrats on getting the deal done back in Florida, like you said, a Panther for life. And best of luck this season.

Thank you for doing this. Awesome. Thanks for having me. You got it. Aaron Eckblad. Seasoned gamer or just video game curious, this weekend gaming is the podcast for you. We break down the latest in the world of video games,

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