Game Day with Florida Panthers Star Aaron Ekblad
When you are the number one draft pick overall in any professional sports league, it comes with a ton of pressure to meet all the expectations that the league, your team, and even the fans have put on you, and athletes don't always meet it. When it comes to Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, though, he exceeded expectations when he was the first draft pick in 2014 and promptly went on to become Rookie of the Year, a team alternate captain, and one of the very strongest players on the roster. Young Hollywood caught up with the star athlete during the Panthers visit to L.A. to play against the Kings and accompany him on his walk from his hotel to the Crypto.com Arena at L.A. Live for game day practice. We discussed some of his favorite game day rituals and habits and his favorite hobbies in the off-season, as well as the things he has learned from his former teammate and mentor Willie Mitchell. Plus, hear his thoughts on the Panthers being Stanley Cup contenders this season!