Matthew Samoskevich

January 2023 – Samoskevitch, 21, is still the same high-IQ playmaker with silky hands the Panthers drafted in the late first two years ago. But he has taken his offensive game to another level since then, dominating the college circuit alongside Adam Fantilli last year and taking the Checkers (AHL) on his back in 2023-24 as a rookie pro. His 0.81 points per game leads Florida’s farm team and slots in tenth overall amongst rookies league wide. He is clearly close to earning his first game in a Panthers sweater, though his -10 rating (tied for worst on the team) suggests he still has work to do when it comes to board play and strength conditioning. Ben Gehrels

July 2023 – After posting an underwhelming 0.7 points-per-game pace in his Draft+1 campaign, Samoskevich had some question marks surrounding his trajectory and upside. Was he a top-line NHL player or more of a middle-six depth scorer? He ascended to a top-line role in his second year at Michigan and lit up the NCAA with better than a point-per-game pace, finishing third in team scoring behind Adam Fantilli (2023) and Luke Hughes (NJD). He then joined the AHL Checkers, where he has four assists in his first five professional-level games. Samoskevich is primarily known for his offensive ability and silky smooth hands; he has the ability to beat defenders one-on-one and make creative, high-skill plays. While he has made encouraging strides with tightening up his defensive game, tracking data indicates that he is quite ineffective in transition, particularly when exiting his own zone with the puck. Expect him to refine his pro-level habits and be wearing a Panthers jersey before long. Ben Gehrels

December 2022 – Samoskevich is excelling in a top-line role this year alongside Adam Fantilli (2023-eligible) on a loaded U of Michigan squad. He is currently second only to Fantilli for the team scoring lead and appears to have taken the step forward Florida fans were hoping for. He flew under the radar on this team last year but is now one of the Wolverines’ main offensive drivers. After adjusting for Quality of Competition between conferences, Samoskevich’s current season is actually comparable to Bobby Brink’s (PHI) nation-leading effort last year in terms of NHL equivalency. Florida’s 2021 first rounder continues to trend in an exciting direction. Ben Gehrels

March 2022 – Samoskevich was slated for a top-line role with Team USA at the WJC in December 2021 that ended up being cancelled—and then rescheduled until August 2022. Hopefully he will get the same opportunity in the summer to show what he can do. As part of a stacked U of Michigan team, he’s used to playing with talented teammates and has accumulated a decent but not spectacular 28 points in 37 games as a rookie. It’ll be interesting to see if he returns to Michigan next year and has a more prolific sophomore season after several of their current stars graduate to the pro ranks. He’ll need to push into point-per-game territory in the near future to keep his star trajectory on course. Ben Gehrels

July 2021 – Samoskevich was selected in the first round, 24th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2021 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

March 2021 – Is fun hockey what you like to see? Do you enjoy watching a player dangle defenders? Is flash and sizzle attractive to you? Let me introduce Matthew ‘Mackie’ Samoskevich. The Chicago Steel forward has been excellent when on the ice this season. He has been able to showcase all of the skill and tantalizing talent he has whenever the puck has been on his stick. Making dazzling plays and embarrassing his opponents at times, Samoskevich is one of the most talented players in the 2021 NHL Draft class from a raw skill perspective. His hands are quick and calculated, synchronized with his agile footwork, the Chicago center does an excellent job of creating separation and space to do damage offensively. He has a sneaky good shot that he gets off quickly but his bread and butter is his passing vision and creativity as a playmaker. The young American has shown the ability to send passes all over the offensive zone with a deft touch. Whether it be via a saucer pass that lands on his teammates stick blade perfectly or a spin pass that finds a guy at the backdoor, Samoskevich puts his skill on display regularly. There are areas of his game that are a cause for concern, particularly defensively, but there is such a high-level skill set to work with in terms of his skating and puck skill, the reward is worth the risk. His ineffectiveness defensively could be part of the reason he may translate better on the wing at the next level but he has been able to play all three forward positions with the Steel. There is no doubt that Samoskevich is going to be a hot commodity at the draft but how early someone jumps will be the question. Regardless of where he goes, there will likely be teams who let out an audible ‘Aw, damn’ because they were hoping he’d fall to their next pick. The package is fun and exciting, it will be all about development and refinement with Mackie when he goes to the University of  Michigan next season to join what should be a loaded roster yet again. Tony Ferrari