Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'enweghị ohere maka ya, na 20 Nọvemba 1999, Calgary gbanwere Ekman na Tampa Bay Lightning tinyere nhọrọ nke 4th (Vladimir Gorbunov) na
2000 Entry Draft maka Andreas Johansson. O mere mbido ya na Lightning n'oge ahụ, mana ọ nwetara naanị isi anọ na egwuregwu 28. Iji nwetakwuo ahụmịhe, ọ sonyeere IHL ma kewaa oge 1999<unk>2000 na Detroit Vipers na Long Beach Ice Dogs, na-etinye ihe 32 na egwuregwu 37 ma nweta nsọpụrụ nke rookie nke afọ. O nwekwara akara isii n'egwuregwu ise nke Long Beach. N'oge 2000-01 oge, mgbe ọ nwesịrị isi iri atọ na isii n'egwuregwu iri atọ na atọ maka Detroit, a kpọghachitere ya na NHL, ebe ọ meziwanye ihe ngosi ya na mbụ wee nweta isi iri abụọ n'egwuregwu iri anọ na atọ. Otú ọ dị, o nwere ọkwa dị ala nke -15 (ọ bụ ihe na-adịghị mma).