This dude is something else. Like, extraterrestrial levels of something else. I’m convinced that his life-force consists not of blood, but of Bugs Bunny’s Secret Stuff. This dude cray.
In clinching 1,147 voting points distributed by the Professional Writer’s Association, 19-year old defenseman Aaron Ekblad secured his first piece of NHL hardware in the form of the Calder Memorial Trophy, the equivalent of a “Rookie of the Year” award. Hailing from Windsor, Ontario and calling Sunrise, Florida his adopted home, the 6’4″ rearguard edged out finalists Mark Stone and Johnny Gaudreau in what proved to be a three-horse race, with the offensive duo lodging 1,078 and 1,026 voting points, respectively.
Making a direct leap from Major Junior to the NHL is no easy task, and yet, Ekblad managed the feat with an air of ease; per the Sun Sentinel:
Ekblad led all rookie defensemen in goals (12), power-play goals (6), power-play points (13), shots (170) and fewest shot attempts against per 60 minutes (38.04) in 81 games. Among rookie d-men, Ekblad finished second in assists (27), plus/minus (plus-12), hits (109) and blocked shots (80). He averaged 21:49 of ice time, second most on Panthers, while logging 1,766:37 overall to lead all rookies.
In that same statistical vein, Ekblad’s offensive numbers proved record-setting in their own right. Piecing together a 39-point year off of twelve goals and 27 assists, the rookie blueliner snapped Ed Jovanovski’s two-decade old franchise record for most points scored by a defenseman. Furthermore, those two individual components hold weight in and of their own-good for club bests by a rookie d-man, they complement a superlative initial campaign for the Canadian star. In the grand scheme of league history, Ekblad’s year ranks second among any and all 18-year olds who patrolled their first NHL blueline, his 39 points two behind the pace set by some schmuck named Bobby Orr (It was a joke, I swear <3[the heart was included as a means to appease the hockey gods{holy crap I swear I didn’t mean it hockey gods}]).
Now go, Ek-Jesus. Watch some stupid movies. Drink a Molson’s. Haze whoever it is that the Cats select with the eleventh-overall pick at tomorrow’s NHL Entry Draft. Keep it #3hunna. Congratulation-you done it.
Alex Lopez
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