September 32-in-32: Florida Panthers
James Connelly
2024-09-11
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Welcome to the September 2024 edition of the DobberProspects 32-in-32 Series. This month, we are diving into the depth of each organization, looking at their recent graduates, risers, fallers, and top-20 prospects.
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Following an exciting Stanley Cup victory, the Panthers’ offseason has been in full swing. Gearing up for an exciting 2024-25 campaign, and hopefully back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Panthers’ prospect pool continues to be impressive despite a lack of high picks.
Below I will be detailing the players graduating meaning that they have aged out of a junior league, players making the jump from the amateur game to the professional game, and European players coming over to North America. Additionally, I will share some of the risers and fallers in the Panthers’ prospect pool, an organizational depth chart, and their top 20 fantasy hockey prospects.
Graduations
Graduating to the NHL:
Mackie Samoskevich, RW – For any prospect, it is awfully difficult to break into an NHL lineup, let alone a Stanley Cup-winning lineup. However, Samoskevich has proved that he is deserving of a look at the highest level getting into seven games with the Panthers last year as well as leading the Charlotte Checkers in scoring by a fair margin. With departures like Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan Lomberg, and Kevin Stenlund, Samoskevich will have a brilliant chance at becoming a full-time NHLer and potentially never looking back. One of the most skilled players in the Panthers organization, Samoskevich will likely start out in their bottom six with second powerplay unit time but could be bumped up the lineup as the season progresses. Samoskevich is certainly a name any fantasy fan should watch out for.
Spencer Knight, G – After playing games in the NHL from the 2020-21 season to the 2022-23 season, Knight took a full year in the AHL with the Checkers in 2023-24. In his first season after entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Knight was the Checkers’ starting netminder and proved to be ready to return to the NHL. With the departure of Anthony Stolarz, who signed in Toronto, Knight will be the backup behind Sergei Bobrovsky and will look to one day supersede him for the starting role.
Graduating from the CHL/NCAA to the AHL:
Sandis Vilmanis – After being traded to the North Bay Battalion, Vilmanis was one of the best players in all of junior hockey. Vilmanis will take the jump to professional hockey where we will truly see if his north-south speedy style of play will translate against professional competition. He will likely need a year or two of play in the AHL before he comes to the NHL but if he can be a strong point for the Checkers’ offense, then he will be a player of note for the Panthers.
Marek Alscher – Alscher wrapped up his CHL career with the Portland Winterhawks last year where he maintained a consistent producer hovering under the .5 point-per-game mark. While his offensive output may not be the greatest, Alscher’s bread and butter comes from his play on the defensive side of the puck. Expect him to marinate in the AHL for a bit before making the jump to the NHL as a shutdown defenseman.
Josh Davies – Davies is one of the hidden gems the Panthers’ scouting staff was able to unearth. Davies enjoyed his first season over the point-per-game marker as an overager on the Winterhawks last year. The part of Davies’ game that will earn his coaches’ respect is his forechecking and motor. He also has a mean streak that fits perfectly in with the Panthers’ identity. Davies will need to be more disciplined if he wants to make the jump from the AHL to the NHL but as it stands, he is a player who has sneaky third-line upside.
Cooper Black – Black was a netminder identified by the Florida Panthers Goaltending Excellent department for his towering size and ability to stop pucks at an elite level in the NCAA with a particularly weak Dartmouth roster. Standing at a towering 6-8, Black has the frame of an elite NHL netminder. However, there are pieces that Black will need to put together to get to the highest level but a team like Florida will be able to unlock his full potential. As an undrafted free agent, Black will look to continue to defy the odds and hopefully make the NHL one day.
Graduating from Europe to North America:
Mikulas Hovorka – Hovorka will be a player to watch out for at the Panthers’ training camp this year. Standing at 6-6 and being a fantastic skater, Hovorka could prove to be a player similar to Niko Mikkola one day. Hovorka has spent his entire career thus far playing in Czechia but if he can adapt to the smaller North American ice, then he will be one of the better prospects in the Panthers’ system.
Oliver Okuliar – Okuliar is just so much fun. He is one of the most skilled players in the Panthers’ prospect pool and can create offense out of seemingly nothing. The 24-year-old has bounced around Europe and a bit of North America on his journey to one day hopefully making the NHL. He was Mountfield HK’s best player by a far margin last year in the Czech league. Okuliar is also expected to compete for a roster spot out of training camp but will more likely be a top-six winger for the Checkers to start the year. Look for him to establish a scoring touch at the AHL level before getting his NHL shot.
Graduating to the NCAA:
Vladislav Lukashevich – After spending his entire hockey career in Russia, Lukashevich made the switch to North American hockey last year where he experienced the best year of his career since being drafted back in 2021. Lukashevich was one of the highest-scoring defensemen in the USHL and will now be taking his talents to the NCAA where he will play with Michigan State and fill the void that 2nd overall pick Artyom Levshunov left. Next year will be telling for his development and NHL upside but if he can establish himself as one of the Spartans’ best defensemen, there is an NHL future for Lukashevich.
Risers:
Jack Devine – Devine is heading back to the University of Denver for his senior year but certainly has nothing left to prove in the NCAA. Along with winning his second NCAA championship with the Pioneers, Devine earned first-team All-American honors, second-team All-NCAA honors (just behind Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Cutter Gauthier), as well as being a Hobey Baker finalist. He led Denver with 56 points in 44 games and will look to lead them on their way to a third National Championship in four years. Devine will likely get a contract from the Panthers as soon as his NCAA season finishes and he may be able to slide into some NHL games before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin.
Mackie Samoskevich– Samoskevich was noticeably the Checkers’ best offensive player last year. He will be competing for a roster spot out of training camp and it is not out of the realm of possibility that he scores 40+ points in the NHL next year. The Panthers’ most recent first-round selection has developed wonderfully in the NCAA and AHL since being drafted and is now knocking on the door to break into the NHL. He is worth a selection in any dynasty league and could be a top-six winger within the next few years.
Fallers:
Evan Nause – Nause struggled in his first professional season. Playing in only 37 games last year, only nine of which were in the AHL and the other 28 in the ECHL, Nause was unable to stay healthy for prolonged periods. Nause still has the tools to one day become an effective blueliner in the NHL but is running out of runway to reach his full potential.
Ryan McAllister– McAllister was once one of the higher-upside late-bloomers in the entire NHL after scoring 49 points in 39 NCAA games for Western Michigan in 2022-23. He then signed with the Panthers and scored five points in his first four AHL games and seemed to be a real diamond. However, his first full AHL season left some to be desired as he scored only 19 points in 37 games. He will need another year in the AHL at the very least and may not be as high in the Panthers’ system as we once originally thought.
Organizational Depth Chart
LW:
Josh Davies
Sandis Vilmanis
Oliver Okuliar
Ben Steeves
Kai Schwindt
Hunter St. Martin
Stepan Zvyagin
Jakub Kos
C:
Gracyn Sawchyn
Linus Eriksson
Rasmus Asplund
Zac Dalpe
Simon Zether
Ryan McAllister
Wilmer Skoog
Stepan Gorbunov
Aleksi Heponiemi
RW:
Mackie Samoskevich
Jack Devine
Justin Sourdif
Will Lockwood
Patrick Giles
LD:
Tobias Bjornfot
Uvis Balinskis
Matt Kiersted
Vladislav Lukashevich
Luke Coughlin
Matvei Shuravin
Marek Alscher
Evan Nause
Albert Wikman
Zachary Uens
Nathan Staios
RD:
Adam Boqvist
Mike Benning
Mikulas Hovorka
Ludvig Jansson
G:
Spencer Knight
Chris Driedger
Olof Glifford
Cooper Black
Denis Gabdrakhmanov
Kirill Gerasimyuk
Tyler Muszelik
Top 20 Fantasy Prospects
This section is meant to detail the best prospects in the Panthers’ system based on their fantasy upside, how soon they will become NHLers, and the certainty that they will become effective NHL players.
1. Mackie Samoskevich
2. Spencer Knight
3. Gracyn Sawchyn
4. Jack Devine
5. Michael Benning
6. Linus Eriksson
7. Justin Sourdif
8. Sandis Vilmanis
9. Josh Davies
10. Ludvig Jansson
11. Olof Glifford
12. Matt Kiersted
13. Simon Zether
14. Vladislav Lukashevich
15. Matvei Shuravin
16. Oliver Okuliar
17. Mikulas Hovorka
18. Cooper Black
19. Marek Alscher
20. Evan Nause
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