As Panthers deal with forward injuries, prospect Mackie Samoskevich getting another chance
The Florida Panthers are giving Mackie Samoskevich another crack at playing in the NHL.
According to the NHL media site, the Panthers on Sunday recalled the top prospect from the Charlotte Checkers, Florida’s American Hockey League affiliate, and he is expected to play on Monday against the Nashville Predators. He is projected to play right wing on the Panthers’ third line with Evan Rodrigues at left wing and Kevin Stenlund at center.
Samoskevich began the season on the NHL roster but only played three games with the Panthers. His return for this stint is largely out of necessity. The Panthers are without three forwards in Aleksander Barkov (lower body), Nick Cousins (concussion) and Will Lockwood (suspension).
In 32 games for the Checkers, Samoskevich has scored 11 goals and added another 15 assists.
“He’s earned the right,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Get yourself 30 or 40 pro games, you get a better idea of where a young man’s game is at. ... He’ll get a chance. He’ll get a look.”
Samoskevich has almost exclusively played right wing over the past couple months with Charlotte after starting the season on the left wing.
“I want to see him on the right further up the lineup with a different style of player,” Maurice said.
As for if this is the start of an extended look at the NHL level for Samoskevich or a one-off, Maurice didn’t have a definitive answer on Sunday.
“That’s a fair question,” Maurice said, “because sometimes it is a one-off. Sometimes, it doesn’t really matter what a guy guys, but we aren’t healthy enough for a guy necessarily easily to come out. The more players that we have up [and healthy], at some point we’re going to have to make a decision on waivers and those things. But if a players distinguishes himself, then we’ll make those decisions.”
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