Panthers Forward Enjoying Breakout Postseason

The Florida Panthers crushed the Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup hopes with their Game 7 victory, sending the Leafs home and the Panthers to their third consecutive Eastern Conference Finals series. The defending champs now meet the Carolina Hurricanes for the second time in three seasons to decide the Eastern Conference champion.

The Panthers are making another deep run in the playoffs thanks to the team's impressive depth. Their forwards are a complete two-way group, combining offensive production with elite forechecking. The embodiment of that is Eetu Luostarinen. The Finnish winger is having a breakout campaign in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 26-year-old Luostarinen has been a staple in Florida's middle-six since he joined the organization in 2020. He's notched at least nine goals and 24 points in four consecutive seasons, including a career-high 17 goals and 43 points during the 2022-2023 campaign.

In the 2025 postseason, it's all come together, and Luostarinen is the breakout player of the playoffs. He leads the team in scoring, posting three goals and nine assists for 12 points. Joined by Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand, their line has far and away been the Panthers' most effective. In addition to his point-per-game average, he's a +11 through 12 games, another indication of how much he and his line mates are outscoring their opponents.

Luostarinen's Game 7 performance against the Maple Leafs was another feather in the cap of his incredible 2025 postseason. Skating in nearly 14 minutes of ice time over 26 shifts, he scored one goal and added two assists on four shots on goal. He finished the second round with one goal and five assists for six points in seven games.

Facing the Hurricanes in the conference finals, the Panthers need even more from Luostarinen. He and his line mates could be a difference-maker against a very dangerous Carolina team. But with the pace he's already on, this breakout campaign is set to continue in the next round.