Waivers: 10/1/25
With less than a week to go until the regular season, waiver season is in full swing. According to PuckPedia, the largest waiver placement of the preseason has taken place:
Boston Bruins
Colorado Avalanche
D Wyatt Aamodt
F Daniil Gushchin
Detroit Red Wings
F Sheldon Dries
D William Lagesson
F John Leonard
D Ian Mitchell
F Dominik Shine
F Austin Watson
Florida Panthers
F MacKenzie Entwistle
F Nolan Foote
F Wilmer Skoog
Los Angeles Kings
D Samuel Bolduc
F Logan Brown
F Martin Chromiak
G Pheonix Copley
F Glenn Gawdin
F Cole Guttman
D Joe Hicketts
F Andre Lee
F Akil Thomas
F Taylor Ward
Nashville Predators
Philadelphia Flyers
San Jose Sharks
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Nicholas Abruzzese
F Boris Katchouk
F Jakob Pelletier
Utah Mammoth
Washington Capitals
D Louis Belpedio
F Graeme Clarke
F Henrik Rybinski
F Bogdan Trineyev
Winnipeg Jets
Panthers Sign Wilmer Skoog To Two-Way Deal
Jul. 17th: Florida confirmed Skoog’s new contract in a team announcement.
Jul. 16th: The Panthers have agreed to terms with one of their restricted free agents. Irfaan Gaffar of the Down To Irf podcast first reported the Panthers were re-signing center Wilmer Skoog to a two-way deal, with David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period adding it carries a $775K NHL salary and a $100K AHL salary.
Skoog, 25, is now entering his third professional season. Florida signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Boston University in 2023, and it first looked like a great pickup. He started the season with eight points in 20 games with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades before being bumped up a level to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, where he went on a shooting tear to finish the year with 22 goals in 49 games – a 32-goal pace over the AHL’s 72-game schedule.
The former Terriers standout couldn’t keep the momentum rolling into 2024-25, though. He scored just nine goals while playing in all 72 appearances for the Checkers, taking on more of a checking role with 24 points and 63 PIMs with a -10 rating.
Skoog, a 6’2″, 196-lb native of Sweden, won a Hockey East title at BU and had a pair of 30-point seasons to end his collegiate career. While he’s been hot-and-cold offensively since turning pro, he’ll get added runway here to serve as a valuable depth contributor with Charlotte and, with a resurgence, potentially work his way up toward an NHL recall.
Skoog will be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency next summer in the likely event he doesn’t play 80 NHL games in 2025-26. Florida now has 43 of its 50 contract slots filled for the season.
Panthers Sign Oliver Okuliar, Wilmer Skoog To One-Year Deals
The Florida Panthers have signed Czech centerman Oliver Okuliar to a one-year, one-way, entry-level contract (Web link). They have also signed Boston University winger Wilmer Skoog to a one-year, two-way contract (Web link). Both deals are set to begin next season.
Okuliar, 23, has spent the last four seasons journeying around European pro leagues, playing in the Tipsport Extraliga, Liiga, and Czechia Extraliga. He’s proven very productive despite the moves, recording 24 goals and 45 points in 52 Czechia Extraliga games this season, adding two assists in eight playoff games. His scoring ranked second among all U24 skaters in Czechia, behind Jakub Rychlovsky, who tallied one more point in one fewer appearance.
Okuliar will now move to North American pros, after going undrafted in the 2019, 2020, and 2021 NHL Drafts. He’s a flashy winger, showing great puck control and a strong ability to work in tight spaces and keep play alive. The Panthers certainly seem convinced by his play, awarding him a one-way contract that could earn him NHL starts next season. The deal closely mirrors Florida’s signing of Latvian defenseman Uvis Balinskis last summer – and Balinskis has certainly received plenty of opportunity, playing in 24 NHL games and 37 AHL games this season. Florida has a knack for awarding strong European play with a chance at the NHL, and it seems Okuliar is their latest test subject.
Meanwhile, Skoog stands out for more than just his distinct name. He’s a grizzled forward that knows how to fight for space in front of the net – made evident by his 19 goals and 27 points in 44 AHL games this season. Skoog also has plenty of flash, pulling off the Michigan goal (or Lacrosse goal) four different times at Boston University. While he likely has a longer path to the NHL lineup than the pro-proven Okuliar, Skoog’s tenacity has already earned him a promotion – signing his first NHL deal after spending his rookie professional season on an AHL contract.