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Aaron Ekblad suspension raising significant concerns with Stanley Cup Final vs Oilers

Originally posted on Oilers Daily | By Liam McCormick | Last updated Mar 10, 2025 10:17 PM ET

Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad has just been suspended for violating the NHL's Performance Enhancing Substance Program, raises questions as to how long he engaged with them.

Ekblad has been suspended 20 games for failing a PED test, and has released a statement apologizing for the ordeal and claiming he mistakenly took a substance.

Oilers fans wonder how far back Ekblad PED usage extended

The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup after a 7 game series the Edmonton Oilers that was ultimately decided by a one goal game. The margins for the series were incredible thin, and things like PEDs can unfairly tilt a game.

There's no proof that Ekblad or any other Panther was using any performance enhancing drugs in last year's playoffs, but it's not exactly clear when their last random test occurred.

One social media post currently going viral among Oilers and hockey fans is a post from Reddit dating back to the Cup Final.

The poster claims that multiple Panthers tested positive for PEDs, and the NHL launched an investigation. While it is a crazy coincidence, there's no reliable source behind the rumour, and will surely be no overturning of the Cup.

Oilers media members raise Ekblad PED concerns in Cup Final

Multiple members of Oilers media are openly questioning if Ekblad had been using these for longer than believed, and if this may have affected the Stanley Cup Final.

Aaron Ekblad has since released a statement, saying that he is completely shocked by the news of the suspension and did not mean to take any banned substances. Ekblad is also currently on a 6 game point streak.

The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock. Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel.
- Aaron Ekblad

It's shocking to see an NHL player get suspended for PEDs, an event the league hasn't seen since 2018. It's possible the use extended back to the Cup Final, but it may not have affected the results at all - the Oilers still went down by 3 games to start.

This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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