While they might not have been selected as All-Stars, several Cats are indispensible to team’s success
Forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk will represent the Florida Panthers at the 2023 All-Star Game on their home ice this weekend.
But there are at least a half dozen other players who have been key for the Panthers this season, players whom the Panthers will need to continue to play at a high level on a consistent basis down the stretch if they want to make a push for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot.
Here are six of those players, listed alphabetically by last name.
SAM BENNETT
Bennett has primarily been the center for Florida’s second line but took over top-line duties when Barkov missed extended time in late November and parts of December.
He has 31 points in 51 games, putting him on pace to match his career high of 49 points set last season, his first full season with the Panthers after being acquired from the Calgary Flames at the 2021 trade deadline.
Bennett centers a line with two of the Panthers’ most high-octane scorers in
Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe and also plays strong, gritty defense.
GUSTAV FORSLING
When it comes to Florida’s defensemen, most of the attention is placed on Aaron Ekblad.
But Ekblad’s defense partner has been playing a critical role for the Panthers this season.
Forsling is second on the team in average ice time per game (23:47), tied for the team lead in takeaways (31), third on the team in blocked shots (65) and runs the team’s second powerplay unit. The 26-year-old Swede also has 30 points on the season (seven goals, 23 assists) — seven shy of his single-season career high set last season.
ANTON LUNDELL
The 21-year-old forward’s offensive prowess seemed to be unlocked when he was moved from centering one of Florida’s middle lines to playing on the wing of Florida’s top line with Barkov at center and Sam Reinhart at right wing. Lundell has logged eight points (three goals, five assists) in 11 games since the switch after recording only 14 points in his first 32 games played this season.
Lundell is also a key player on Florida’s penalty kill and is seeing time on Florida’s second powerplay unit.
EETU LUOSTARINEN
The 24-year-old Luostarinen has alternated between playing wing and center this season depending on the Panthers’ needs any given game.
But despite the positionflipping, his offensive production is at the highest level of his young NHL career. He has already scored a career-high 10 goals, and his 22 total points are four shy of a career high. He spent time this season as one of Florida’s top-six forwards and his growth offensively this season complements his already high-level defensive play.
BRANDON MONTOUR
Montour has been one of the top offensive-producing defensemen in the NHL this season. He is eighth among all defensemen in points (43, a single-season career high) and tied for sixth in assists (33, career high) and goals (10, one shy of career high). He is also 15th among defensemen and leads all Panthers skaters in average ice time (24:23).
He is part of the Panthers’ top power-play unit and spent time on Florida’s top defense pairing with
Forsling when Ekblad was hurt earlier this season.
Montour entered the All-Star Break on a ninegame point streak — longest run ever by a Panthers defenseman — and has at least one point in 12 of his past 13 games.
CARTER VERHAEGHE
The 27-year-old winger once again is one of the Panthers’ top scorers.
He leads the team with 26 goals, already a singleseason career high and tied for 15th in the NHL. He scored at least one goal in six of Florida’s final eight games before the All-Star Break.
Since signing with the Panthers ahead of the 2020-21 season, Verhaeghe has logged 134 points (68 goals, 66 assists) in 172 games.