After missing each of the last seven games, top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to the blue line for the Florida Panthers when they face-off against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

A crucial piece on the blue line, Ekblad, despite missing time due to his injury, still leads Florida’s defensemen in both assists (18) and points (20). He also ranks third in hits (59) and blocked shots (56), while averaging a team-leading 23:32 of ice time per contest.

The Florida Panthers are set to bolster their blue line with the return of defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who has missed the past seven games due to an upper-body injury.

Ekblad has been battling an undisclosed injury and missed each of Florida's past five games. He's been seen on the ice in recent days and appears to be nearing a return. "He skated this morning and was better, so we're pretty excited about that," said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice.

One of each in return

“We’re still learning about him,” head coach Paul Maurice said of Bjornfot, who’s averaging 13:46 of ice time per game. “I can give you some of his characteristics, but I don’t know if I can truly define his game for you yet. That’s why it’s so important that he plays right now.” Taking a deeper dive, it’s the underlying numbers truly stand out.

Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored for the Sharks (14-32-6), who have lost six straight and nine of ten. Alexandar Georgiev allowed four goals on 15 shots before being pulled early in the second period for Yaroslav Askarov, who stopped 14 of 17 shots in relief.

Matthew Tkachuk scored once in a three-point outing while Aaron Ekblad collected one goal and one assist in his return to the lineup to pace the visiting Florida Panthers to a 7-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Good to go against Sharks

A lingering injury of his own could have been a factor as Calgary Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar failed to crack Canada’s initial roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off . Now, a nagging ailment for one of the other guys could crack that door back open.

If it were up to some Maple Leafs fans, Auston Matthews would also be opting out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, writes Michael Traikos.