Defenseman Aaron Ekblad recently completed his third season with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound right-hand shot is No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of the top North American skaters eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft. He was named the OHL defenseman of the year after finishing with career highs in goals (23), assists (30), power-play goals (16), points (53) and penalty minutes (91). He earned first-place finishes for best shot, hardest shot, best offensive defenseman and best defensive defenseman in the OHL Eastern Conference in 2013-14. Ekblad offered to maintain a blog leading up to the 2014 draft at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. He was the No. 1 pick of the Florida Panthers on June 27, 2014.
PHILADELPHIA -- Hello hockey fans!
Well, what a night here at Wells Fargo Center at the 2014 NHL Draft. The Florida Panthers selected me as the No. 1 pick, and I am completely overwhelmed right now. Everything is still going in slow motion.
When the NHL commissioner said the Panthers were on the clock I was like, 'Please pick me.' I really just wanted to get the jitters over with. I had no business sitting in that seat any longer.