The NHL hammered Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad with a 20-game suspension after a failed drug test. The league hasn't given out such a heavy punishment since 2016.
"It was a shock," said Ekblad to Yahoo Sports. He owned up to taking something for recovery without running it by team doctors.
The suspension hits at the worst possible time, running into key playoff games. This leaves a huge hole in the Panthers' defense during the most important stretch.
Punishments this severe rarely happen in hockey. The last one went to Shawn Horcoff in 2016, showing how serious the NHL takes its drug testing.
With their defensive star sidelined, Florida needs to find answers fast. Though they're still in playoff position, the path forward just got a lot tougher.
These drug testing rules come from agreements between the NHL brass and players' union. The system clearly spells out what's banned and how testing works.
Players who break these rules face set penalties - regardless of their reasons. This no-nonsense approach keeps the game clean and players safe.
The impact goes beyond just missed games. Team doctors now have to double-check every treatment like never before.
This incident serves as a wake-up call about treatment decisions. Players will think hard before taking anything without getting the okay from doctors.
Florida faces an uphill climb until spring. Their playoff push just got much more challenging.
