Ekblad believes Panthers can 3-peat as Stanley Cup champions

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Aaron Ekblad and Carter Verhaeghe got an early start to their Friday, hitting the gym before joining ABC's "Good Morning America" from their training facility.

Victor Oquendo of ABC News ended the segment by asking Verhaeghe a question the Panthers will be getting a lot of this upcoming season: "How we feeling about a three-peat?"

Both players grinned.

"Don't jinx it," Verhaeghe said with a laugh. "No, that's the play."

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers are in the midst of yet another short offseason, a problem every team in the NHL would gladly take.

Florida has played deep into June in each of the past three seasons, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final before defeating the Edmonton Oilers in 2024 (seven games) and again in 2025 (six games).

Naturally, the talk around the Panthers going into the season is whether they can do it again, and, to borrow the copyrighted phrase from Miami Heat president Pat Riley, go for the three-peat.

Ekblad, for one, understands the 'Jinx Ship' has sailed for the Panthers.

Considering the team was planning their Stanley Cup championship parade during the Final in each of the past two seasons, that's understandable.

The Panthers are not going to guarantee anything, except that they are going to try and win it all again.

"We thought about winning it for a second straight year last year, too, so I am not going to think any differently this time around," Ekblad said before the defenseman hit the ice for an informal skate following his appearance on GMA. "We don't think that thinking or talking about winning the Cup again is jinxing anything. I am preparing for the marathon that is an NHL season and the playoffs. I am preparing for it like another season."

Florida general manager Bill Zito helped make sure the Panthers have everything they need to not only make a run at the Stanley Cup again in 2026, but for the coming years as well.

Ekblad was one of Florida's 'Big 3' pending free agents who re-signed with the Panthers before July 1.

With Ekblad and Sam Bennett each getting an eight-year contract, and Brad Marchand signing for six years, the Panthers have 10 of their core players signed through the 2029-30 season. More are expected to join them in due time.

The Panthers are, depending on one's definition of the word, in the midst of a dynasty having won the Stanley Cup twice with three straight trips to the Final.

For Ekblad, the No. 1 pick of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Panthers, continuing to be a part of something he helped start is quite meaningful.

"We have won the Stanley Cup twice and we still have a long window to win more," Ekblad said. "Whether it is or isn't next year, it is just as likely the following year. And the year after that, and the year after that. It's really cool to be in this position."

As far as the offseason goes, the Panthers famously took their partying to another level after winning the Stanley Cup for a second time.

Aside for individual days with the Stanley Cup, the partying appears to be over.

"We have had a lot of weddings, and the summer has kind of been about not thinking about hockey or caring that we won the Stanley Cup anymore," said Ekblad, who has been skating in Fort Lauderdale for the past two weeks.

"It's over for us, in a sense. We won, and that's great. I am happy we won, but that is over and it is not the most important thing in our lives. Now, it's on to the next one. Hopefully we're going to do it again."

Verhaeghe joined the informal Fort Lauderdale skate, which includes Minnesota forward Vladimir Tarasenko, Boston defenseman Nikita Zadorov, and Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev, earlier this week.

The Panthers do not mind the short summer. Ekblad, for one, thinks it is for the best.

"It is way better because you never get out of shape," said Ekblad, whose final game of the season was June 17. "You have to start working out again within a week or two of the season ending. If you want to build any muscle, you need that amount of time. Right now, I feel great. I feel like I could start the season tomorrow.

"If you have four, five months off and start your offseason right away, you hit a plateau early and begin to hate the training. We never end up hating it, because there is not enough time for us to do that."