Another core Panthers player signs long-term as Eetu Luostarinen gets extension
The under-the-radar member of the Florida Panthers’ core is sticking around.
The Panthers have signed forward Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year contract extension that starts in the 2027-28 season and runs through the 2034-35 season. The deal has an average annual value of $5 million.
“A key piece of our two Stanley Cups, I am thrilled that Eetu will continue his career with the Panthers,” Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said in a press release announcing the news. “A consummate professional who is committed to being a difference maker at both ends of the ice, his work at even strength and on the penalty kill is critical to our team success in South Florida.”
Wednesday was the first day Luostarinen was eligible for the deal, as the NHL only allows players to sign extensions when they are in the final year with their current team. Wednesday was the official start of the 2026-27 league year. He’s finishing up a three-year deal that has an annual cap hit of $3 million.
Luostarinen, 27, is one of three Panthers players who have been with the organization since before president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito took over. Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad are the others.
While Barkov and Ekblad were already established as two of Florida’s cornerstone players, Luostarinen was still unproven. Florida acquired him the season before on Feb. 24, 2020, from the Carolina Hurricanes along with Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and Chase Priskie in exchange for Vincent Trocheck. Him even making the roster and finding his way into being a regular was an uncertainty at that time.
That’s far from the case now.
In 439 games with the Panthers over six seasons, Luostarinen has logged 161 points (61 goals, 100 assists) but his value goes beyond the scoresheet. He also has 34 points over 73 Stanley Cup playoff games, including 19 (five goals, 14 assists) during Florida’s run to its second championship in 2025. He also played at the 2026 Winter Olympics for Finland alongside Panthers teammates Anton Lundell and Niko Mikkola (Barkov did not participate due to injury).
Luostarinen has formed one of the top defensive forward tandems with Lundell, with them forming two-thirds of Florida’s third forward line for the better part of the past four seasons. He’s one of the Panthers’ primary forwards on the penalty kill while continuing to find his offensive touch.
And now he, like so many of his teammates, is sticking around for a while.
Who else is under contract long-term?
With Luostarinen’s extension in place, the Panthers now have a whopping 12 players under contract through at least the 2030 season.
That group: Barkov, Lundell plus forward Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Seth Jones through the 2029-2030 season, forward Brad Marchand through the 2030-31 season, forward Sam Reinhart and defenseman Gustav Forsling through the 2031-32 season, forwards Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett plus defenseman Aaron Ekblad through the 2032-33 season, Mikkola through the 2033-34 season and now Luostarinen through the 2034-35 season.
A 13th, forward Brady Tkachuk, will likely join those ranks next season when he is eligible for an extension. Brady Tkachuk’s contract has two years left on its deal.
This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 11:19 AM.
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