When the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to take on the Florida Panthers, it will be a special night for a former player who made a difference for both teams.
Prior to puck drop, there will be a ceremony honoring and celebrating the career of Patric Hornqvist who won the Stanley Cup twice with the Penguins and recently retired as a member of the Panthers.
Hornqvist is a beloved face in the hockey world and it’s this sort of ceremony is well deserved; the game takes place on December 8.
“Patric’s leadership and unparalleled competitive drive helped to shape the spirit of the Florida Panthers today,” Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in a release. “He is beloved here in South Florida as well as in Pittsburgh, Nashville, Sweden and throughout the National Hockey League, and we are excited to celebrate his decorated career.”
During his time with the Penguins, Hornqvist played in 407 games and scored an even 132 goals and 132 assists for 264 points.
Hornqvist played huge roles in both Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017 and was a huge off-ice figure for the Panthers in their playoff run in 2023.
Concussions forced Hornqvist to retire over this past summer and he has since joined the Panthers front office as a scouting and development consultant.
Hornqvist played 901 career NHL games and recorded 543 total points (264G-279A); not bad for the last overall pick in 2005.
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