He’s the Panthers’ top prospect. And Mackie Samoskevich has a case for a roster spot
Mackie Samoskevich took a feed from Josh Mahura inside the left circle and made his move. The 20-year-old winger, the Florida Panthers’ top prospect and 2021 first-round pick, pushed toward the net and used his quick hands and nifty stick-handling skills to get in position against the opposing goaltender. Finally, at the last second as he approached the crease, Samoskevich flicked a backhanded shot into the net.
“He’s a very, very skilled young man,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.
This play came in an exhibition game, the Panthers’ 4-2 preseason win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday at Amerant Bank Arena.
But for Samoskevich, it was the latest chance for him to show the Panthers’ coaching staff and decision makers that he is ready to make the jump to the NHL.
And Samoskevich certainly isn’t hiding his intentions of doing what needs to be done to get to that point.
“There’s a reason why I’m here,” Samoskevich said during the early stages of training camp. “I’m a good player. I know I’m a good player. Just do what I do. I’m playing with really good players out there to help me and I’ll help them too. I’m gonna go do what I do and have fun with it.”
His skill set and work ethic backs up his confidence.
Through three preseason games, Samoskevich already has three goals and an assist. His wrist shot has the potential to be lethal. His ability to find open space in the ice and generate steady scoring chances is a massive asset.
So, too, is his understanding of what he needs to do to elevate his game.
It started with cleaning up his diet over the summer, which Samoskevich said has helped improve his energy and recovery.
It continues with the internal understanding of where he is with his on-ice development. He knows the jump from being a college star at the University of Michigan, where he logged 72 points (30 goals, 42 assists) in two seasons, to the NHL is massive.
That’s why he opted to join the Panthers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, immediately after his college season ended last year. And it’s why he was with the Panthers at an extra practice body during their run to the Stanley Cup Final once the AHL season ended.
Put it all together, and he’s certainly giving the Panthers a lot to think about when they make their final decisions on who makes the roster when the season begins Oct. 12.
“I like his pace,” Maurice said. “The hands, he’s got NHL hands. Whether the skill set is there and if he’s going to play in the NHL really isn’t much of a question. It’s more of when will it happen?”
And to set Samoskevich up with the best chance to succeed, Maurice has put him on a line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, two of the team’s core players, during training camp. The reason for that, Maurice said, is because Lundell and Luostarinen excel at “all the things away from the puck that a young man doesn’t yet know is important,” and he wants them to help Samoskevich improve in those areas.
“He’s at a pro level with what he can do with the puck,” Maurice said. “Both Lundell and Luostarinen are elite at all the other parts of the game — hunting pucks down, doing the heavy work and then making good decisions [like] when to release the puck and when not to try to create more.”
Samoskevich said Lundell and Luostarinen have helped “so much on the ice.”
“They’re talking me through [everything] and they’re obviously so smart,” Samoskevich said. “They’re so easy to get along with and prepare with. It’s a lot of fun, for sure.”
But there are still areas where Samoskevich needs to elevate his game. Play recognition, especially at the speed of the NHL level, is of the top priority. Mistakes that players can normally get away with early on in their career get amplified at this level as the talent of the competition increases.
“You’ve got to know your play before you get the puck,” Samoskevich said. “I think that is the biggest thing. You don’t really have much time to think. Everyone’s a good player now, so being dialed in is very important.”
Maurice added: “I think he’s built,” Maurice said. “He’s going to be one of those guys that as the talent level increases, he’ll probably be able to do a bit more with the puck, but he’s also going to get more challenged without the puck. That’ll be that growth curve that we’re looking for.”
Samoskevich has certainly made a statement as the preseason nears the halfway mark, but Maurice isn’t going out on a limb just yet to say the highly touted prospect has cemented himself as a favorite for a roster spot.
After all, there’s more than what meets the eye when it comes to results of preseason games.
“There’s going to be players who will come out and light it up in an exhibition and it’s still not real, right?” Maurice said. “Because there’s a big difference when everybody gets to camp and the regular season and then the gap between exhibition and regular season is equally as big as the gap between the regular season and the playoffs. It’s just different worlds.”
But with that said, in regards to Samoskevich...
“He’ll get a chance,” Maurice said. “We’ll give him a good look. We like him a lot.”
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