Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Florida Fans Fired Up After Panthers Sign Former First-Round Pick

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 12:33 PM ET

Mackie Samoskevich was a fantastic contributor for Florida last season, and now the Panthers have locked down the 22-year old to the delight of Panthers fans as they look to go into 2026 with the goal of a very rare three peat.

This past season, the Florida Panthers went back-to-back for the first time in franchise history, with arguably the deepest team the National Hockey League has seen in the Gary Bettman era.

They made waves after their second Stanley Cup win by signing the veteran trio of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, but now, the signings don't stop as they have made a very fun announcement.

As announced on social media, rookie forward Mackie Samoskevich has signed a one-year deal with the team after a breakout campaign that saw him contribute 15 goals and 31 points in the regular season while playing in the bottom-six.

He may not be as big a name as the star studded group that make up the Panthers top-six, but he quickly became a fan favourite down in Florida, and that's reflected by the comments on social media.

The 22-year old was originally drafted by the Panthers with the No. 24 overall pick back in the 2021 NHL Draft, and while he didn't get much game time in the post-season, the future is very bright for Mackie.

Only time will tell if this ends up leading to a long-term deal for the fan favourite, but with the team tight up against the salary cap space, this may give them the time it takes to get a deal done, but for now, the Panthers bottom-six is secure with another talented young winger that has the potential to be a key contributor for years to come.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: