The Florida Panthers, the current Stanley Cup champions, have seen their key player, Aaron Ekblad, become a focus of trade speculation.

Drafted first overall by the Panthers in the 2014 NHL Draft, Ekblad is about to enter the final year of his eight-year, $60 million contract. With just one year remaining on his deal, he has been mentioned in trade discussions.

On PuckPedia’s new PuckGM tool, which allows users to design their own trades, one proposal suggests that the Detroit Red Wings could acquire Ekblad in a major move.

Red Wings get:

Aaron Ekblad, a prominent defenseman for the Florida Panthers, was selected first overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. He’s currently preparing for the final year of his eight-year, $60 million contract. As the Panthers’ recent Stanley Cup victory continues to make headlines, Ekblad’s name has surfaced in trade rumors. A recent proposal on PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool suggests a major trade that could send Ekblad to the Detroit Red Wings.

Panthers get:

Ben Chiarot and a second-round pick in 2026

At first glance, the trade return for Ekblad might seem modest, but Chiarot’s contract has two years remaining and is $2.7 million less than Ekblad’s. This additional cap space allows Florida to potentially add another player to strengthen their roster, while the second-round pick from 2026 provides valuable flexibility for future trades or draft opportunities.

Chiarot would help fill the void left by Ekblad, maintaining the strength of the Panthers’ defense. Last season, Chiarot tallied 5 goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 77 games with the Red Wings.

On the other hand, the Red Wings would enhance their defensive lineup by acquiring Ekblad, one of the NHL’s elite defensemen. Ekblad registered 1 goal and 14 assists for 18 points in 51 games last season. As a former first-overall pick, Ekblad could join Moritz Seider on the second pairing, potentially making Detroit’s defense one of the strongest in the league.

Ekblad Named as a Trade Candidate

Ekblad has been a key player for the Panthers and a central figure for the franchise since being drafted first overall in 2014.

However, with Ekblad entering the final year of his contract, NHL insider David Pagnotta reported that the defenseman is a potential trade candidate this summer.

Pagnotta noted, “According to multiple well-placed sources, the Panthers are actively shopping 2014 first-overall pick Aaron Ekblad, who is about to enter the last year of his contract. Discussions have already occurred with some teams regarding his availability. Ekblad, 28, will transition from a full no-movement clause to a 12-team no-trade list on July 1, when he is also set to receive a $3 million signing bonus,” as mentioned in his article on June 27.

If Ekblad is indeed on the trading block, it’s expected that multiple teams will show interest in acquiring the defenseman.

Red Wings Still Need to Sign 2 Key RFAs

Detroit has had a solid offseason, highlighted by the signings of Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Nonetheless, the Red Wings still need to address the contracts of star forward Lucas Raymond and standout defenseman Moritz Seider, both of whom are restricted free agents. General Manager Steve Yzerman has expressed a willingness to consider both long-term and short-term agreements for the two players.

Yzerman told The Athletic, “I’ll leave it to you to judge the value of these players. There are many players out there; how many of them are truly providing value to their teams? Then consider how much more they might earn as unrestricted free agents. The term and the dollar amount need to work for both sides. You need to offer a player enough to commit to a long-term deal, but it can be risky if you’re paying a premium for potential.

“It can be challenging, especially if you have cap constraints. If there are no cap issues, you might not worry as much. But such deals can lead to cap problems. I’m open to negotiations, but the terms and figures need to be mutually beneficial, which can be difficult.”

Raymond and Seider, both former first-round picks, are key players for Detroit.