How the Panthers built — then maintained — a Stanley Cup champion roster
Every season’s a remix, even for Stanley Cup champions who want to go back, jack, do it again. The wheel turns ‘round and ‘round as players chase more money in free agency, more time doing something else with retirement, get injured or suspended.
The Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions by keeping their roster core, then finding the proper side dishes to mesh with that main course entree.
And, here’s how Chef Bill Zito, Panthers general manager, cooked up another Stanley Cup-winning roster.
3: Seth Jones, D. The Panthers traded for the 6-4, multitalented defenseman and got a fourth-round draft pick from Chicago for backup goalie Spencer Knight and a 2026 conditional first round pick on March 1. This filled a spot vacated by Aaron Ekblad’s suspension and, when Ekblad returned, put Jones with 6-6 Niko Mikkola to give the Panthers a huge second defense pair.
5: Aaron Ekblad, D. Drafted No. 1 overall in the 2014 NHL Draft — the year after the Panthers took Aleksander Barkov and left Jones on the board — and the NHL’s Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) the ensuing season, Ekblad’s the Panthers career leader in defenseman scoring. At 6-4 with great mobility and good puck skills, he’s the epitome of what NHL teams want in a No. 1 defenseman. He and Gustav Forsling match against opponents’ top lines. He served a 20-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing substances.
7: Dmitri Kulikov, D. Kulikov returned to the Panthers as a free agent after last year’s Cup run. He came right back to where he started when the Panthers signed him as a free agent on July 1, 2023. After being the Panthers 2009 first-round draft pick, Kulikov spent his first seven seasons here before being traded to Buffalo in 2016.
8: Nico Sturm, C: The Panthers got a Sturm and 2027 seventh-round pick for a 2026 fourth-round pick on Mar. 6. Sturm played in 62 regular-season games and eight playoff games.
9: Sam Bennett, C. The Panthers traded for Bennett and a sixth-round 2022 draft pick from Calgary on April 12, 2021, for prospect Emil Heineman and a 2022 draft pick. His 13 road playoff goals this season is an NHL record. Bennett, this year’s Conn Smythe winner as playoff MVP, infuriates opponents with his borderline legal physicality and the soft hands that can make a goalie look oafish on a breakaway.
10: A.J. Greer, LW/RW. Greer, a part of a energetic, muscular fourth line, signed as a free agent on July 1, 2024.
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12: Jonah Gadjovich, LW/RW. After signing with the Panthers as a free agent on Oct. 16, 2023, Gadjovich dressed for 39 games last season and 42 games this season. With Greer, the Panthers have two 6-3 wings on the fourth line.
13: Sam Reinhart, RW. The Panthers got Reinhart from Buffalo on July 24, 2021, for goalie prospect Devon Levi and a first-round 2022 draft pick. With the Panthers, Reinhart put up two 30-goal seasons, a 57-goal, 94-point season last season and 39 goals and 81 points this season.
15: Anton Lundell, C. The Panthers took Lundell in the first round, 12th overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. Lundell’s a two-way center on the third line with Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand that gave the Panthers unmatched depth throughout the playoffs and also provided the Panthers a line responsible enough they could put against opposing No. 1 lines.
16: Aleksander Barkov, C. The Panthers took Barkov instead of Seth Jones No. 2 overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. After three Selke Trophies (best defensive forward), one Lady Byng Award (combining great and gentlemanly play), one King Clancy Award (leadership, community contributions), the franchise’s leading scorer, team captain and one of the game’s best all-around players, it’s safe to say “Smart choice.”
17: Evan Rodrigues, RW. Signed as a free agent on July 2, 2023. Rodrigues can play on the first, second or third line and works on the second power-play unit. He put up 15 goals and 17 assists and was a minus-four in 82 games this regular season, but had two goals and 13 assists and was a plus-three in 21 playoff games, usually on a line with Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk.
19: Matthew Tkachuk, LW. After having the NHL’s best record in 2021-22, but losing in the second round, the Panthers wanted to add thump and attitude for the playoffs without sacrificing offense. So, on July 22, 2022, they sent the franchise’s all-time leading scorer at the time, Jonathan Huberdeau; MacKenzie Weegar; Cole Schwindt; and a conditional 2025 first-round draft pick to Calgary for Tkachuk. Tkachuk totals since the trade: 254 regular-season points in 211 games, 25 goals and 68 points in 67 playoff games. Team totals: three Eastern Conference titles, two Stanley Cups.
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23: Carter Verhaeghe, LW. The Panthers signed Verhaeghe as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2020, after he spent his first NHL season as a bottom-six player for Tampa Bay’s 2020 Stanley Cup winner. He has scored 122 total goals during the past four regular seasons and holds the Panthers’ franchise record 33 playoff goals, 13 of which have been game winners.
25: Mackie Samoskevich, RW. The Panthers’ 2021 first-round NHL Draft pick dressed for 72 regular season games this season, picking up 15 goals and 16 assists.
26: Uvis Balinskis, D. Signed as a free agent on April 18, 2023, and he dressed for 76 regular-season games for the Panthers this season.
27: Eetu Luostarinen, LW. Luostarinen came to the Panthers with Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and Chase Priskie on Feb. 24, 2020, as the Panthers sent Vincent Trocheck to Carolina. He helps make the Panthers third line one of the biggest matchup problems in the NHL, especially in the playoffs, where Luostarinen had five goals and 14 assists in 23 games this year.
42: Gustav Forsling, D. The Panthers claimed Forsling off waivers on Jan. 9, 2021, from Carolina. Carolina couldn’t find room for him. Every team in the NHL wishes they did. Forsling and Aaron Ekblad get matched up against most teams’ No. 1 lines as the Panthers top defense pair. How well Forsling handles that matchup can be seen in two stats: only 16 penalty minutes in 80 regular-season games and a team-high plus-33 plus/minus rating this season.
63: Brad Marchand, LW/C. The Panthers sent Boston, Marchand’s NHL home since 2009, a conditional 2027 second-round pick for Marchand on Mar. 7 in a trade that shocked and dismayed the rest of the league. “Dismayed” because Marchand added another skilled, gritty, annoying forward with Cup-winning experience to a Panthers team already fat with that. Marchand had 10 goals and 10 assists in 22 playoff games on the Panthers’ important third line.
70: Jesper Boqvist, C. The Panthers signed Boqvist as a free agent on July 1. He appeared in 78 regular-season games, picking up 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 and had two goals and three assists in 13 playoff games.
72: Sergei Bobrovsky, G. The Panthers signed Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy (best goalie) winner, as a free agent on July 1, 2019. During the playoffs, even in blowout wins, your goalie usually will need to make a big save or three. “Bob” does that and two Stanley Cups leaves no doubt as to his future Hockey Hall of Fame induction.
77: Niko Mikkola, D. The Panthers signed the defensive defenseman as a free agent on July 1, 2023. Most teams would consider the 6-6 Mikkola with a pterodactyl wingspan and Seth Jones their No. 1 defense pair.
88: Nate Schmidt, D. Schmidt signed with the Panthers on July 3, his fifth team in a 12-season career. Playing on the Panthers’ third pair, Schmidt had 19 points and was a plus four in 80 regular-season games. In the playoffs, his offensive thrusts produced got 12 points in 23 playoff games, usually at pivotal times.
92: Tomas Nosek, C: Nosek signed as a free agent on July 1, 2024. He played 59 regular-season games and 15 playoff games, usually on the fourth line. Paul Maurice wanted that line on the ice for the final seconds because he felt as if they turned around the second round series against Toronto with the Panthers down 2-0 in games and trailing in Game 3.
Head coach Paul Maurice. Having the NHL’s best record, best offense and winning a playoff round for the first time in 26 years didn’t satisfy Panthers management after a second-round sweep loss to Tampa Bay in 2022. They dumped Andrew Brunette, hired Maurice, who wasn’t looking for work after leaving Winnipeg. He took the job, changed the Panthers into an outfit with more a physical and defensive conscience and has been rewarded with three Eastern Conference championships and two Stanley Cups.
General manager Bill Zito. Panthers ownership jettisoned 10-year general manager Dale Tallon on Aug. 10, 2020 and hired Zito 23 days later. Only four players remain on the Panthers roster from that day: Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovesky and left wing Eetu Luostarinen.
Trading for Tkachuk, signing Verhaeghe, claiming Forsling off waivers and hiring Maurice are among Zito’s ace moves that turned the Panthers from a playoff team to a Stanley Cup winner. Trading for Marchand and Jones kept them winners this year.
Zito’s also responsible for the hockey operations and scouting department advised on player acquisitions and helped with player development.
This story was originally published June 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM.
