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Luostarinen, Lundell Set To Play Game 1 For Panthers

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Forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell missed Saturday’s practice for the Florida Panthers, but coach Paul Maurice said afterward that both are expected to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers, per George Richards of NHL.com. Maurice did, however, note that forward A.J. Greer’s availability may be in question.

“I think the only question mark is Greer. We will list him as day-to-day. The other guys are fine. They’ll be back on the ice tomorrow when we do a little bit of an optional,” Maurice said.

Greer and Luostarinen were both injured in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Hurricanes. There was no explanation given for Lundell’s absence from practice, but he played a key role in closing out the Hurricanes, scoring a goal in the Panthers’ 5–3 win in Game 5, while also winning 62 percent of his faceoffs. Lundell put up a career-high 45 points in the regular season and has added five goals and 12 points during the playoffs.

In his first season with the team, Greer has made a significant impact despite averaging just 9:36 of ice time per game. He appeared in 81 regular-season games, posting 17 points while leading the team with 222 hits. The physical forward has added two goals and three points during the playoffs.

Luostarinen has elevated his game in the playoffs, recording 13 points in 18 games after tallying just 24 points in 80 regular-season games. His availability for Game 1 is a major boost for the Panthers, especially given that he ranks second on the team this postseason in hits (71) and leads all forwards with 19 blocked shots.

Heponiemi Signs In SHL

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  • After moving on from his team in Switzerland to become a free agent, it looked like there was a chance that Aleksi Heponiemi could be returning to the Panthers. However, that’s not the case as he recently inked a two-year deal with HV71 in the SHL, per a team release.  The 26-year-old has 25 career NHL games with Florida under his belt but after being primarily in the minors in North America, he headed overseas two years ago.  This past season with EHC Biel-Bienne, Heponiemi had 18 points in 37 games.  Florida will retain his rights as a restricted free agent through next summer.

Aleksi Heponiemi Signs In Sweden

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While Aleksi Heponiemi remains on the Panthers’ reserve list until next offseason, it doesn’t appear he’ll entertain an NHL return before then. The 26-year-old center signed a two-year deal with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League today, per a team announcement, essentially confirming Florida will lose his signing rights on July 1, 2026.

Heponiemi, a 2017 second-round pick, once checked out as one of the organization’s top prospects. The Finnish native was named the WHL’s Rookie of the Year in his draft year after posting 86 points in 72 games and took things to another level in 2017-18, leading the league with 90 assists in just 57 games while adding 28 goals for 118 points. But he didn’t immediately join the Panthers’ pro ranks after that, instead opting to return home with Kärpät in the top-division Liiga for 2018-19. He continued to impress there, logging 46 points in 50 games, finally receiving an entry-level contract from Florida at the end of the year.

Upon his arrival in the North American professional ranks, Heponiemi’s development and production cratered. He managed only 14 points in 49 AHL games in his first pro season stateside and managed only six points in 25 NHL games over the following three years. Upon becoming an RFA in 2023, the Panthers still issued Heponiemi a qualifying offer to retain his signing rights, but he was obviously unhappy with his trajectory in the organization and opted to return to Europe instead.

Heponiemi has spent the last two years with EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss National League. He’s been serviceable there but not as dominant as he would have hoped. The 5’10” pivot posted a 13-22–35 scoring line in 59 appearances since his arrival, and while Biel-Bienne signed him to a three-year extension last summer, they recently mutually terminated that contract.

He’ll now look to rediscover his game in Sweden, but with his production still yet to rebound to its ceiling, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him not add to his NHL resume down the line. A major resurgence with HV71 could put him on the international free agency radar in 2027, though.

Panthers’ Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola, A.J. Greer In For Game 5

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May 28: All three players are returning to the lineup tonight after the Panthers dropped Game 4 by a score of 3-0 without them, Maurice told reporters, including Michael Russo of The Athletic, this morning.

May 26: Panthers star winger Sam Reinhart, who already missed Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final because of a lower-body injury, will remain out for Game 4 tonight, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters (including Eric Engels of Sportsnet). Defenseman Niko Mikkola and winger A.J. Greer, who sustained upper-body and undisclosed injuries in Game 3, respectively, will also miss the potential conference championship-clinching game and are day-to-day, Maurice said.

Reinhart exited Game 2 in the first period due to a hit from Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho and didn’t return. Maurice said yesterday that Reinhart had neither been ruled out nor cleared for Game 4, while Greer and Mikkola weren’t expected to miss time. The latter statements jumped the gun.

Luckily for them, the Panthers have built up a 3-0 cushion in the series to limit the potential effects of their absences (and, if all goes well tonight, allow everyone time to get healthy for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final). They already won once without Reinhart, cruising to a 6-2 win in Game 3 with a third-period scoring explosion. The 29-year-old has been good but not overly dominant in this year’s playoff run, posting four goals and 11 points in 14 games after scoring 10 goals in 24 playoff games in last year’s Stanley Cup win.

But Mikkola played a massive role in that win, scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winner. After the best regular season of his career, the 6’6″ Finn has further solidified his status as a high-end second-pairing option in the playoffs, posting five points and a plus-six rating while averaging north of 19 minutes per game. With the Panthers having fewer quality depth options on the blue line outside of their usual lineup compared to their forward group, his absence will be a little more difficult for Maurice to deal with as he tries to sweep Carolina in the ECF for the second time in three years.

Jesper Boqvist, who’s been the 13th forward this postseason but still has five points in his last three appearances, will remain in the lineup in Reinhart’s stead. Maurice said that rearguard Uvis Balinskis will replace Mikkola in the lineup while depth center Nico Sturm enters the lineup for the fourth-liner Greer.

Brief Explanation Of Panthers Dichotomy

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  • In a humorous and candid quote, Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice describes the contrast between his team’s behaviour on the ice and off the ice. Giving most of the credit to captain Aleksander Barkov, Michael Russo of The Athletic writes about the Panthers’ tenacity, and sometimes dirty play during games, and their stout humility and respect in between puck drops. Recognizing this, Russo quoted Maurice, saying, “Have you ever shotgunned a beer? Have you ever been to church? Would you shotgun a beer in church? That doesn’t make you a hypocrite. There’s a context and a place for all things.“

    [SOURCE LINK]

Panthers Notes: Jones, Reinhart, Mikkola, Greer

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Seth Jones has played up to his ceiling as a top-pairing defenseman in the Panthers’ playoff run. On the verge of advancing to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, Jones has six points and a +11 rating in 15 games while averaging the most minutes per game of any Florida skater, by far, at 25:20 per night.

Rejuvenated after being acquired from the Blackhawks before the deadline, Jones’ game is back to where it was during the heights of his career several years ago with the Blue Jackets. He spoke to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times last week about the transition from being the minute-munching option on a rebuilding Hawks team to being back in a competitive environment in Florida.

“It definitely feels like there’s some pressure off [me] after the trade,” Jones told Pope. “In Chicago, I was just forcing things and trying to do too much – out of my realm, to be honest. It was always hopefully for the betterment of the team, in my opinion, [even though] it didn’t always turn out that way or look that way. But here, I can just play my game.”

“This system forces the defensemen to get up, gap up, be tight and force [opposing] wingers to make plays under pressure,” Jones continued – all obvious strengths of his game throughout his 12-year career. “Everyone is responsible and understands their job.”

There’s more out of Florida as they gear up for a potential series-clinching Game 4:

  • Winger Sam Reinhart’s status for Game 4 remains in the air after he missed Game 3 due to a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters (including NHL.com’s Dan Rosen). His day-to-day designation hasn’t changed, and he’s been neither cleared nor ruled out for tomorrow’s contest. He’s been limited to four goals and 11 points through 14 games – significantly below pace compared to last year’s 10 goals in 24 playoff games and this year’s 81 points in 79 regular-season games. Still, he remains Florida’s leader in average time on ice among forwards at 20:07 per game.
  • Rangy defender Niko Mikkola is expected to be available for tomorrow’s game after sustaining an apparent upper-body injury last night, Maurice said (via Eric Engels of Sportsnet). After scoring a goal in the third period, Mikkola appeared to injure his shoulder in a collision with the boards and didn’t play the final 12 minutes of the 6-2 win. Skating primarily as Jones’ partner in the postseason, the 28-year-old has five points and a plus-six rating through 15 contests while averaging 19:19 per game.
  • The “should be good to go” status is the same for winger A.J. Greer, Maurice said (per the team’s Jameson Olive). It’s unclear what ailed him, but he left the bench with just over four minutes left in the game. The fourth-line heavyweight has played in eight straight games after starting the playoffs as a healthy scratch. He’s got two goals and an assist, all coming in his last six games.

EHC Biel-Bienne Release Aleksi Heponiemi

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  • There’s a small chance that a Florida Panthers prospect could return to the organization this summer. According to a team report, the NL’s EHC Biel-Bienne have released forward Aleksi Heponiemi from his contract. Heponiemi scored 13 goals and 35 points in 59 games for EHC Biel from 2023 to 2025. Still, since the Panthers own his contractual rights in the NHL, he won’t be able to join a different team this summer unless the Panthers choose to leave him unqualified.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Sam Reinhart Listed As Out Day-To-Day

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As the Panthers look to take a stranglehold on their Eastern Conference Final series against Carolina tonight, they’ll be doing so without the services of one of their top players.  Head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald that forward Sam Reinhart will not play and is listed as day-to-day.

The 29-year-old suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of Thursday’s game on a hit from Sebastian Aho.  He left the game and did not return although that didn’t slow Florida down as they picked up the 5-0 victory.

Reinhart didn’t score at quite the same pace as a year ago when he had 57 goals but he was certainly a core contributor this season, tallying 39 goals and 42 assists in 79 games while averaging a career-high 20:30 in ice time, a solid return on the first year of his eight-year, $69MM contract signed on the opening day of free agency last summer.  He hasn’t been quite as productive in the playoffs but is still seventh in team scoring with four goals and seven assists in 14 games.

In Reinhart’s absence, winger Jesper Boqvist will return to the lineup.  He has played in nine playoff games thus far and has a goal and an assist, both coming in the same game in the Toronto series.  Boqvist is averaging just 8:53 per game in the postseason but with Maurice not wanting to change his other lines around, the 26-year-old should be in line for a bigger role as he’ll line up on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Evan Rodrigues.

NHL Announces General Manager Of The Year Finalists

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The Jets’ Kevin Cheveldayoff, the Stars’ Jim Nill, and the Panthers’ Bill Zito are the three finalists for this year’s Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, the league announced today.

Unlike most other major league awards, GMOTY honors take playoff performance into account. Voting for the award is also done by a jury of their peers – all 32 NHL GMs, plus a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media, comprise the voting, which takes place after the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs concludes.

Cheveldayoff is the relative newbie of the trio in terms of being included among the finalists. It’s his second time making the cut – he previously finished second in GMOTY voting after Winnipeg had its then-best season in franchise history in the 2017-18 campaign. That club had 114 points, a mark this year’s Jets beat by two en route to winning their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. This year’s notable moves included promoting Coach of the Year finalist Scott Arniel to the head role last offseason following Rick Bowness’ retirement as well as acquiring winger Brandon Tanev and defenseman Luke Schenn at the deadline.

His nomination stems more from identifying his core and sticking with it through ups and downs. Most of Winnipeg’s driving forces – namely Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Josh Morrissey – have been there for years and were all drafted under Cheveldayoff.

Nill, meanwhile, is going for a three-peat. He’s already one of just two GMs to win the award twice, alongside former Islanders boss Lou Lamoriello. While he’s wholly responsible for the Dallas core that’s now advanced to three straight Western Conference Finals, his in-season moves may have him well-positioned to take home the honors yet again.

Playoff performance will be a factor here – after Nill traded for and signed Mikko Rantanen to a massive eight-year, $96MM extension at the deadline, he’s returned the favor as the Conn Smythe favorite so far with a playoff-leading 9-11–20 scoring line through 14 games. His draft record among mid-to-late first-round picks in recent years, highlighted by Wyatt Johnston, Jake Oettinger, and Jason Robertson, is arguably the biggest reason they’ve been able to enter their lengthiest contention window since winning the Stanley Cup in 1999.

As for Zito, he’d have won one by now if not for Nill’s reign. He’s a finalist for the third year in a row and the fourth time overall during his stint at the helm of the Panthers. His offseason work, with depth pickups like Nate Schmidt performing well in lieu of big-name players who left in free agency following last year’s Stanley Cup win, already had them well set for a repeat. Acquiring stars Brad Marchand and Seth Jones in separate pre-deadline deals, both of whom have been among the Cats’ best postseason players, is the main reason he finds himself on this year’s list, though.

Panthers’ Evan Rodrigues Likely To Return For Game 7

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Panthers winger Evan Rodrigues will be back in the lineup for tonight’s Game 7 after missing the last two contests with an undisclosed injury, relays Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. He’ll replace Jesper Boqvist, who had directly filled Rodrigues’ spot on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart in his absence.

Florida’s offense is back at full strength to counter the Maple Leafs’ top unit of Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner, who are collectively coming off their best performance of the series in Game 6 while facing elimination. Knies was questionable for tonight’s do-or-die contest after getting banged up in the first period, but Toronto head coach Craig Berube confirmed this morning he’ll be in the lineup without any minutes restrictions.

Even before exiting the lineup, Rodrigues’ minutes were limited at times earlier in the series. He played a season-low 8:48 in Game 2 after a hit from behind by Toronto forward Scott Laughton that earned him a controversial embellishment call, and he left the Cats’ Game 4 win in the third period after a hard hit from Leafs defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Rodrigues has two points in four games in the series, both in Florida’s Game 3 overtime win. He combined with linemates Barkov and Reinhart to assist on the Panthers’ first two goals of the game and logged nearly 19 minutes of ice time, his most of any game so far in the playoffs.

The 31-year-old only has three assists in nine postseason outings this year but was an indispensable depth piece in the Panthers’ Cup win last year, scoring 7-8–15 in 24 games – including four goals and seven points in seven Stanley Cup Final games. The versatile top-nine forward hit 30 points for the fourth year in a row in the regular season, mostly playing a supporting role on Florida’s top two lines.

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