from Matthew DeFrank of the Sun Sentinel,

Just two months into Aaron Ekblad's NHL career, it seems like nothing the 18-year-old does is surprising anymore.

Leading the Panthers in assists? Ho-hum. Third among NHL rookies in scoring? Okay. Even his three-assist performance on Saturday night against Buffalo drew a tempered response from Panthers coach Gerard Gallant.

"He played a good game [Saturday] night but he's been good all season long," Gallant said. "I don't think last night was an outstanding game for him. It was a good game, but he's had a lot of those."

While good games have become the norm for the No. 1 overall pick, the Panthers have also become accustomed to Ekblad firing shots from the point to create offensive opportunities. He is tied for the team lead with 17 points.

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