Finishing sixth in voting for the Norris Trophy in 2021-22 after registering a career-high 57 points (15 goals, 42 assists), Ekblad had scored one goal in three games prior to his injury this season.
Skating with the Panthers for nearly two weeks in preparation for his return, Ekblad said after Friday's practice that he feels "more than 100%" heading into a tough test against the Oilers.
Sitting at 8-5-1, several players stepped up to help Florida go 6-4-1 during Ekblad's absence.
"Extremely excited," said Ekblad, who was paired with Marc Staal during practice. "These things are the worst. Sitting out sucks, but I'm really proud of the way the team played. Certain guys stepped up in some big ways. You saw the true colors of how good some of the players are on this team. It's been fun to watch, but it's going to be even more fun to get back in the action."
Winning each of their last two games, the Panthers opened their five-game defense of home ice with a 3-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Aleksander Barkov, Nick Cousins and Sam Bennett all scored, and goaltender Spencer Knight stopped all 40 shots he faced between the pipes.
Still just 21 years old, Knight, who the Panthers selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, became the fifth goalie in NHL history to post a 40-save shutout before turning 22.
Owning a 5-1-0 record with a 2.18 goals-against average and .925 save percentage, Knight is expected to make this third straight start and man the crease against Edmonton's potent attack.
"We aren't interested in having one goaltender run the table," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. "This will go back to our January. We're going to need both goaltenders. We may end up rotating them when we get to that point, but we do want either Bob (Sergei Bobrovsky) or Spencer to get into some rhythm when they're feeling very good."
Falling to 8-7-0, the Oilers have lost three of their last four games, including a 7-2 defeat at Carolina in their last outing on Thursday. Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid both scored for Edmonton, which ended up on the wrong end of hat trick for Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov.
After Jack Campbell surrendered seven goals on 32 shots against the Hurricanes, backup Stuart Skinner could get the start against the Panthers. Despite sitting at 2-3-0, Skinner, who has appeared in just 20 games in his NHL career, boasts a stalwart .928 save percentage.
A two-time winner of the Hart Trophy, McDavid, who's also captured four Art Ross Trophies, paces both the Oilers and the NHL in goals (15) and points (31). Carrying a nine-game point streak into South Florida, he's racked up 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in that stretch.
Not far behind McDavid, Leon Draisaitl has recorded 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists).
"It's a fun challenge whenever you get to play against a guy like that," Ekblad said of facing McDavid. "I've been embracing that challenge since we were little kids when he beat us, I think, 13-1 in a [junior game] final. Obviously, fantastic players up and down their lineup. Two in particular are extremely dangerous. Always welcome that competition and that challenge."
Fifth on the Oilers in scoring with 13 points (five goals, eight assists), Evander Kane won't take the ice against the Panthers and is expected to miss the next three to four months after being cut on the wrist by a skate blade during Edmonton's 3-2 win at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
In good spirits, Kane was present for the team's practice on Friday in Sunrise.
"It's great to be kind of back," Kane told EdmontonOliers.com.. "I know I'm not on the ice, but I'm in the same kind of morning routine and I'm hoping, at least initially while I can't do much, I can maybe be around the team as much as I can. So that will definitely be helpful as the recovery process happens."
Owning a 4-0-1 record at home this season, the Panthers have gone a staggering 15-1-1 over their past 17 regular-season games at FLA Live Arena dating back to the start of March 2022.
In 2021-22, the Panthers and Oilers split their two-game season series.
