The Florida Panthers are giving defenseman Gustav Forsling an eight-year contract extension.
Multiple outlets pegged the value at $46 million. He was due to become an unrestricted free agent in July.
Forsling, 27, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Vancouver Canucks in 2014 and traded to the Chicago Blackhawks the following year. Chicago traded him in 2021 to the Carolina Hurricanes, who waived him.
The Panthers picked him up off waivers on Jan. 9, 2021. Since then, he’s appeared in 258 games and tallied 126 points (37 goals, 89 assists).
This season, the Swede has 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) and a league-leading plus-43 rating in 62 games.
Also Thursday, the Panthers announced that the team had agreed to terms with forward Jonah Gadjovich on a two-year contract extension through the 2025-26 season.
“Jonah’s competitiveness and physicality have meshed seamlessly with our style of play here in South Florida,” general manager Bill Zito said. “We are pleased to have him continue his career with the Panthers.”
Gadjovich, 25, has four points (two goals, two assists) in 33 games. He leads the Panthers in penalty minutes with 90 and has 71 hits.
He is in his first season with the Panthers after spending time with the Canucks (2020-21) and San Jose Sharks (2021-23). In 112 NHL games, he has 14 points (six goals, eight assists).
The Panthers (43-16-4) enter play Thursday against the Flyers with the best record in the NHL. Vladimir Tarasenko, acquired Wednesday in a trade with the Ottawa Senators, will make his Florida debut vs. Philadelphia, the team said.
–Field Level Media