The Panthers are shaking things up, calling up forward Jack Studnicka from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. With A.J.
Greer still serving a suspension, Studnicka is set to hit the ice for today’s game against the Islanders. The timing is crucial, especially after Evan Rodrigues suffered a season-ending broken finger in Thursday's clash with the Wild.
Rodrigues' injury adds to a mounting list of sidelined Panthers, with ten players now out of action. Key names like Uvis Balinskis, Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand, Niko Mikkola, and Rodrigues have been shut down for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Jonah Gadjovich, Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich, and Cole Schwindt remain day-to-day, leaving Florida to tap deeper into their AHL reserves.
Studnicka, at 27, is no stranger to stepping up. He was initially called up in December after Eetu Luostarinen's unfortunate grill accident and filled a fourth-line role for six weeks. Despite going scoreless in 18 games and posting a -6 rating, his presence was felt before returning to Charlotte in January.
Once a promising prospect for the Bruins, Studnicka has had a journeyman's path through the NHL. His stint earlier this season marked his first NHL action since a brief period with the Sharks in 2023-24. While he has settled into a top-six role in the minors, with a respectable 8-14-22 scoring line in 34 games, the offensive spark needed for a permanent NHL spot has been elusive.
Looking ahead, Studnicka might be on the move again this summer. His one-year, two-way contract with the Panthers is nearing its end, making him an unrestricted free agent in July.
His journey has seen him traded from the Bruins to the Canucks in 2022, then to San Jose in 2023, and later signing with the Kings in 2024 before finding his way to Florida. The upcoming offseason could add another chapter to his well-traveled career.