The Florida Panthers had a couple of prospect notes surface in The Athletic’s latest under-23 rankings, and both Sandis Vilmanis and Simas Ignatavicius landed in Tier 6 as “Middle of the lineup player” types.
Vilmanis came in at No. 133, while Ignatavicius was ranked No. 138.
Corey Pronman described Vilmanis as someone who “had a very positive season,” pointing to his work in the AHL, his time with Latvia’s senior team and the extended look he got with Florida. Pronman called him “a fast, competitive winger who contributes at both ends of the ice,” adding that Vilmanis “wins a lot of puck battles and always seems to be around the play.”
He also noted that Vilmanis is not especially physical or creative, but can still generate chances by going straight at defenders. Pronman’s projection: “He projects as a middle-six winger.”
Ignatavicius got a similarly strong review. Pronman described him as “a legit NHL prospect,” noting his background as a U.S.-born player of Lithuanian descent who has played for Lithuania’s senior national team and at the pro level in Switzerland.
He called Ignatavicius “a tall, fast winger with very good hands who projects to play and create chances at an NHL pace.” Pronman added that his vision is “fine,” that he’s “not overly physical,” and that his compete level is “a minor issue on his projection,” but said the overall toolkit is strong enough that “he could still be a middle-six winger.”
The Panthers also popped up in another Athletic feature, Sean McIndoe’s look back at memorable NHL debuts by random rookies who came in and wrecked a team’s night. His Panthers example centered on Manny Legace, who “stopped 49 of 50 shots in his debut, helping the Los Angeles Kings steal a point in a 1-1 tie in Florida in 1998.”
Elsewhere in the NHL chatter, Ryan Dixon’s ranking of the best all-time seasons by players 41 or older included Jaromir Jagr’s 2015-16 run with Florida at No. 4.
Playing for his eighth NHL franchise, Jagr scored 27 goals and 66 points for a Panthers team that finished first in the Atlantic Division. Aleksander Barkov, then 20, was the only Florida player to score more goals that season, with 28.
Jagr also picked up MVP votes 25 years after making his NHL debut at 18 with the Penguins.
Around the league, the New York Islanders announced Thursday that fans picked “Navy Lighthouse” as the specialty sweater concept for the 2027-28 season after 80,490 submissions.
The Detroit Red Wings acquired the rights to forward Sutter Muzzatti from the Nashville Predators for future considerations, then signed him to a two-year, entry-level contract. Muzzatti had 13 goals and 19 assists in his senior season at Notre Dame.
And the New York Rangers re-signed defenseman Scott Morrow to a one-year, two-way deal worth $850K at the NHL level. Morrow appeared in 29 games with the Rangers, finishing with six assists, and played 34 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack, where he posted five goals and 14 assists.
In Other News...
Flames Face A Real Morgan Frost Decision Before His Price Climbs
Morgan Frosts future in Calgary is already drawing attention because he is a pending unrestricted free agent after the season, and that usually means the clock starts ticking earlier than most teams would like. For a player who could also become a trade target, the Flames are facing the familiar dilemma of deciding whether to lock in a young forward now or let the market, and his next stretch of play, push the price higher.
Around the league, teams are already keeping an eye on roster openings of their own, including Floridas need for forward depth while Brad Marchand recovers from surgery. Patrik Laine has surfaced as one possible name in that mix, though any path to camp could require a professional tryout, and there is also a chance the Panthers take a longer look at Sandis Vilmanis in a bottom-six role. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Tkachuk's Exit Says Plenty About What Panthers Just Added
Tim Stutzle was still sorting through the fallout in Munich, where the NHL/NHPA European Player Media Tour offered a chance to reflect on Brady Tkachuks departure from Ottawa and what it meant for the Senators. For Florida, the trade brought in a player whose presence had clearly mattered in another locker room, the kind of addition that changes the temperature of a team the moment he arrives.
Stutzle praised what Tkachuk gave the Senators and acknowledged the impact of losing him, which is part of why the move has such a clear ripple effect beyond Ottawa. The Panthers paid a steep price to land him, and the reaction from a former teammate only underscores how significant Floridas latest addition looked from the outside. [Read more 🡒]