Ignorant Ekblad question

Pantokrator

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Jan 27, 2004
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I apologize for my ignorance, but I was wondering how Ekblad has developed. When he came into the league, I thought he would be the next major D-man in the league, and he seemed to be that type of player. However, I have not heard much of him lately. I never get to see them play, so I was just wondering how Ekblad has been developing - has he been improving? Stagnant? Regressing? I appreciate any insight, and I apologize for my ignorance.
 

FLpanthers16

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Jan 30, 2014
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Improved alot this year only real issue is his skating, if he gets that fixed he is a sure elite 1D very soon.
 

Ekblast

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Nov 9, 2002
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Ekblad was developing great until the hits and concussions. Ever since he has declined. He will have a shortened career ala Pronger/Lindros.

Sucks.
 

TheImpatientPanther

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Jan 17, 2013
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Ekblad is more of the Erik Johnson mold right now, he won't overly impress you and take over games on a consistent basis like the upper tier defensemen (Doughty/Hedman) but with his work in the defensive zone, he has turned into an all around average #2D.

He's still young enough to improve and hoping he takes this off-season more seriously than any prior. This year he needs to take another step forward and be even smarter defensively while adding another 5-10 pts to his offensive production. There's no reason he can't be a 50pt guy with all this offense we have up front and on the way.

If Q can help the D, we should see more scoring 5 on 5 from him and he's had success there, also a decent threat on the 2nd PP unit. Skating, puck-handling and working on his shot would help him become a great #2 or low end #1 imo (Jones/Trouba).
 

StrangeVision

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Apr 1, 2007
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He can't skate, but he's also only 23. There's still time for him to figure out if he wants to/is capable, I have hope he will get it together.
 
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ucanthanzalthetruth

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There's always a monthly Ekblad is bad main board thread. He''s not. He's just really show. Everything else is good, he's obviously good on offense and his two-way game took another step last year. Really solid #2 guy.

He can't skate, but he's also only 23. There's still time for him to figure out if he wants to/is capable, I have hope he will get it together.
I can't see it, Vincent got him back to where he was but at 23, I think if there was an extra gear we'd have seen it.
 
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CHGoalie27

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Ekblad was developing great until the hits and concussions. Ever since he has declined. He will have a shortened career ala Pronger/Lindros.

Sucks.
I always got the feeling like after he got his bell rung he would immediately play like it and gradually move away from it until the next one happened and repeat.

In other words, the further away from any incident, the better he gets. He's our best defenseman.
 
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Jakeybonz

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Jan 1, 2018
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Ekblad is more of the Erik Johnson mold right now, he won't overly impress you and take over games on a consistent basis like the upper tier defensemen (Doughty/Hedman) but with his work in the defensive zone, he has turned into an all around average #2D.

He's still young enough to improve and hoping he takes this off-season more seriously than any prior. This year he needs to take another step forward and be even smarter defensively while adding another 5-10 pts to his offensive production. There's no reason he can't be a 50pt guy with all this offense we have up front and on the way.

If Q can help the D, we should see more scoring 5 on 5 from him and he's had success there, also a decent threat on the 2nd PP unit. Skating, puck-handling and working on his shot would help him become a great #2 or low end #1 imo (Jones/Trouba).
jones is no low end #1. hes awesome and at the rate hes progressing, he could be a top 5 d man in a couple years. his offensive numbers went a bit down last yr but i see that as a fluke and expect him to easily hit 55 points next year and 12+ goals without sacrificing D. id trade huby and trochek for him and not even blink.

i also dont think ekblad is an avg. 2D. hes an average 3D. hes a really bad top pair D. hes probably the worst part about watching panther games besides mathesons turnovers and broken ankles. our D contracts are almost as bad as our offensive contracts are good.
 
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TheImpatientPanther

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jones is no low end #1. hes awesome and at the rate hes progressing, he could be a top 5 d man in a couple years. his offensive numbers went a bit down last yr but i see that as a fluke and expect him to easily hit 55 points next year and 12+ goals without sacrificing D. id trade huby and trochek for him and not even blink.

Jones had a serious bump in PP minutes and that resulted in more PP points that breakout year. He averaged 10pts normally and hit 24 in his 57pt year. Minus that fluke and he's back to his normal mid 40ish pt range.

Feel consistency is what is holding him back from being a great #1D so for me, he's a low end #1. Werenksi is #2 because he doesnt have the shutdown ability of Jones.

Also dont think Jones will repeat a 55pt season as CBJ wont be as good next year losing Bob, Panarin and possibly Dzingel or Duchene, although the latter two should stay imo. Still a great defenseman though and would love to have him, is a step or two ahead of Ekblad for now.

I want to see #5 under Q's reign and he knows he needs to train harder. Still feel he can hit 50pts if he works on skating and puck-handling.
Jones has Torts who imo, is a pretty good coach for most part.
 

Gentle Man

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There's always a monthly Ekblad is bad main board thread. He''s not. He's just really show. Everything else is good, he's obviously good on offense and his two-way game took another step last year. Really solid #2 guy.


I can't see it, Vincent got him back to where he was but at 23, I think if there was an extra gear we'd have seen it.

If he actually shed some weight, we may actually see that extra gear.

If he shed some weight AND did some training he would improve by a mile.
 
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Jakeybonz

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Jan 1, 2018
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Jones had a serious bump in PP minutes and that resulted in more PP points that breakout year. He averaged 10pts normally and hit 24 in his 57pt year. Minus that fluke and he's back to his normal mid 40ish pt range.

Feel consistency is what is holding him back from being a great #1D so for me, he's a low end #1. Werenksi is #2 because he doesnt have the shutdown ability of Jones.

Also dont think Jones will repeat a 55pt season as CBJ wont be as good next year losing Bob, Panarin and possibly Dzingel or Duchene, although the latter two should stay imo. Still a great defenseman though and would love to have him, is a step or two ahead of Ekblad for now.

I want to see #5 under Q's reign and he knows he needs to train harder. Still feel he can hit 50pts if he works on skating and puck-handling.
Jones has Torts who imo, is a pretty good coach for most part.
i guess we'll have a running gentlemans bet on jones :) i think hes a step or 20 ahead of ekblad.
 
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pb1300

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Jones - 54 goals in 468 games
Ekblad - 66 goals in 391 games

I get what you're saying but there are a few things Ekblad is better at than Jones.

Ekblad puts himself in position to score. He has a pretty decent IQ offensively. Overall though, Jones is the better Dman. Ekblad can close the gap if he works on his skating, and continues to stay healthy.
 
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TheImpatientPanther

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Ekblad puts himself in position to score. He has a pretty decent IQ offensively. Overall though, Jones is the better Dman. Ekblad can close the gap if he works on his skating, and continues to stay healthy.

Ekblad was the best defender in the league at zone entries as well but I agree Jones is a step or two ahead of him

Ekblad had a quiet but solid season defensively. Yes there were some brain farts but name one D that doesnt get dummied over the course of 82 games.

Screenshot_20190610-123548_Samsung Internet.jpg
ekblad.jpg
 
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pb1300

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Ekblad was the best defender in the league at zone entries as well but I agree Jones is a step or two ahead of him

Ekblad had a quiet but solid season defensively. Yes there were some brain farts but name one D that doesnt get dummied over the course of 82 games.

View attachment 235713
View attachment 235711

He was definitely worse at the start of the season compared to the end. He took some good strides this past season, and like I said earlier, he can get better if he just stays healthy and gets lighter and faster. Oh, he is 23 though, forget it, its too late for him to improve:sarcasm:
 
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Jakeybonz

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Jan 1, 2018
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Jones - 54 goals in 468 games
Ekblad - 66 goals in 391 games

I get what you're saying but there are a few things Ekblad is better at than Jones.
i know the numbers would overwhelmingly suggest that, but when i see the way they shoot it really looks like jones is even better at that. i think what it is, is that ekblad is better at getting in position to get a shot through and lucky shit happens when you do that. he has tons of ugly goals whereas jones' goals look a lot prettier. that would still make ekblad the better goal scorer cause who cares how they go in, but i believe jones will get better at that whereas ekblad cannot replicate jones' skating, stickhandling, and shot. jones will end his career with more goals imo. there wont be a thing ekblads better at by the end if their careers. this is the thing i most hope im wrong about as the panthers will live and die with how good or bad ekblad becomes.
 

TheImpatientPanther

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i know the numbers would overwhelmingly suggest that, but when i see the way they shoot it really looks like jones is even better at that. i think what it is, is that ekblad is better at getting in position to get a shot through and lucky **** happens when you do that. he has tons of ugly goals whereas jones' goals look a lot prettier. that would still make ekblad the better goal scorer cause who cares how they go in, but i believe jones will get better at that whereas ekblad cannot replicate jones' skating, stickhandling, and shot. jones will end his career with more goals imo. there wont be a thing ekblads better at by the end if their careers. this is the thing i most hope im wrong about as the panthers will live and die with how good or bad ekblad becomes.

Hopefully Q makes him grow a stache and whips him into shape during practices.
I know Ekblad is training with Trouba and Luongo. Skating and getting physically stronger are the two main goals.
So that's legs and core for most part.
Also agree he should work on puckhandling as well.
He said his self motivation was missing so he understands he has to be the leader on the back end now which he did for the most part last year.

You dont remember this goal? :sarcasm:


No need to slow it down, he's already in slow motion and ghosted Giroux and Ghost.
Just has an awkward and chugging stride, needs to text Barkov and ask him for his leg workout routine.

I agree that we live or die with him as the main defenseman though and still think Matheson will pull his head out of his ass and get better defensively.
Another reason why I wouldn't mind drafting a D where skating is his major strength and be a 2 way guy like Soderstrom who has a high IQ and plays similar to Weegar in a sense.
 

Jakeybonz

Registered User
Jan 1, 2018
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Hopefully Q makes him grow a stache and whips him into shape during practices.
I know Ekblad is training with Trouba and Luongo. Skating and getting physically stronger are the two main goals.
So that's legs and core for most part.
Also agree he should work on puckhandling as well.
He said his self motivation was missing so he understands he has to be the leader on the back end now which he did for the most part last year.

You dont remember this goal? :sarcasm:


No need to slow it down, he's already in slow motion and ghosted Giroux and Ghost.
Just has an awkward and chugging stride, needs to text Barkov and ask him for his leg workout routine.

I agree that we live or die with him as the main defenseman though and still think Matheson will pull his head out of his ass and get better defensively.
Another reason why I wouldn't mind drafting a D where skating is his major strength and be a 2 way guy like Soderstrom who has a high IQ and plays similar to Weegar in a sense.

i could never forget that goal. its the only play he ever made that made him look like a #1 overall pick. seriously not being hyperbolic. ive never seen another play from him that justified his draft position aside from that one. but yea barkov although still slow, made a huge leap in skating speed last offseason. ekblad needs a piece of whatever that action was. if barkov makes a similar speed improvement this year, he could make me look real bad which id welcome wholeheartedly.
 

CanadianPantherFan

Cats are Here!
Jun 6, 2004
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I feel S Jones is destined for top 3-5 best Dman in the league.
After year 1/2 , I would’ve said the same for Ekblad. Sadly, that ship has sailed most likely I feel for Ekblad.
 

BeezKnees

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Jun 4, 2010
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Ekblad is 23. He’s just now entering his prime. Look at the Doughtys, Webers, Hedmans, Letangs, Suters, Burns, Josis,, Keiths, Subbans, etc etc of the world. Age 23+ season is when they become that stud #1 we know them as. Not saying Ekblad is as good as those guys, but scoring an average of 10-15 goals, 35+ points, and usually being a + player as an 18-23 year old dman is nothing to sneeze at. Ekblad is so good for his age and is in no way a finished product. Watch
 
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Jakeybonz

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Jan 1, 2018
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Ekblad is 23. He’s just now entering his prime. Look at the Doughtys, Webers, Hedmans of the world. Age 23+ season is when they become that stud #1 we know them as. Not saying Ekblad is as good as those guys, but scoring an average of 10-15 goals, 35+ points, and usually being a + player as an 18-23 year old dman is nothing to sneeze at. Ekblad is so good for his age and is in no way a finished product. Watch
oh hes finished alright. the concussions stalled whatever it was that he was turning into in his first 2 years (which was not a great dman anyway) and now hes just flat out ugly to watch. hes not going to turn into a true top pairing D the way those guys did. u saw flashes of elite level skill from them in their early years that u never see from ekblad. oh and also they could skate which i hear is important in hockey. ekblad should be traded if at all possible in a creative package for a real dman. he had a deceptively good season last year which makes him almost sort of tradable. we wont get that chance again.
 

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