Jesper Boqvist providing the clutch play the Panthers will need in the long term
The Florida Panthers know the formula it’s going to take to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup despite being shorthanded.
Jesper Boqvist is the textbook example of a player who can help them make it happen.
As he did multiple times last season during the Panthers’ run to a repeat, Boqvist stepped up in a key spot on Tuesday and delivered the first clutch moment of the 2025-26 season.
Boqvist knocked in a puck off a pass from Mackie Samoskevich that he caught with his stick a bit high and smacked past former Panthers goalie Spencer Knight for the go-ahead score with 10:20 left in the third period of Florida’s eventual 3-2 season-opening win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
With Knight looking sharp and stonewalling several promising scoring chances, Boqvist delivered his fourth game-winning goal since signing with the Panthers before last season and ninth of his career. His three game-winners last season were a career-high.
“It was a great play by Roddy (Rodrigues) setting Mackie up and then Mackie getting it over to me like that,” Boqvist said. “I kind of just skated it in. It feels good for sure.”
With stars Matthew Tkachuk and Sasha Barkov both dealing with long-term injuries, Boqvist made a major contribution immediately on the Panthers’ third line with Mackie Samoskevich, who had two assists, and Evan Rodrigues.
It’s nothing new for Boqvist, who came through in the postseason last year at times even on Florida’s top line while stars such as Barkov and Sam Reinhart were out with injuries.
Last season, in Game 5 of the Panthers’ second-round series against Toronto, Boqvist finished with a goal and an assist with Rodrigues injured and played alongside Barkov and Sam Reinhart on Florida’s top line after moving up from his usual spot on the fourth line.
In Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Boqvist kickstarted the Panthers’ 6-2 rout of Carolina when he scored the go-ahead goal while filling in on the top line while Reinhart was out with an injury.
“That’s hard to do. He has this consistent game in an uncertain role, which is where the value is with him because he can come in and play left wing, right wing at critical times,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “I played him with Barkov in the playoffs, and then he comes out tonight, and I thought he was actually really good as well. I’m just watching their routes more than anything else, whether they score or not, how close are they to that ideal of how we play. And he was right on.”
Boqvist knows he will need to have multiple games like this if Florida is to withstand the loss of Tkachuk for likely the first three months of the season, and Barkov likely for the entire season.
“We want to contribute any way we can, and we’re happy we got the two points,” Boqvist said. “Obviously, it’s going to be hard. Obviously, two big losses. Everybody is going to have step up.”
Boqvist, who turns 27 on Oct. 30, is entering his seventh season overall and scored his 47th career goal and 13th since joining the Panthers. His 12 last season were also a career-high.
Florida inked Boqvist to a two-year extension during the season after he impressed with his versatility both as a defender and creating such opportunities as he did on Tuesday.
“That’s why our team is so good. We rely on everybody,” Brad Marchand said. “That’s how every good team has success. You can rely on a couple of guys for a little bit, but to get to the playoffs, you need a little bit of everyone.”
This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 9:18 PM.
