For the second year in a row, the Florida Panthers were represented at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase.
Sporting his Panthers sweater while surrounded by some of the best young hockey talent in the word was 20-year-old Gracyn Sawchyn.
Florida’s second-round selection, 63rd overall, at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Sawchyn has wrapped up his junior hockey career and will play as a professional for the first time in 2025-26.
He signed his entry-level contract with the Panthers last November and is expected to join the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers this season.
Sawchyn was a standout performer during his time in the WHL, which was split between the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Edmonton Oil Kings.
In 166 games over three WHL seasons, Sawchyn racked up an impressive 67 goals and 200 points, adding another five goals and 19 points in 24 postseason games.
At last year’s rookie showcase, it was Florida prospect Marek Alscher representing the Cats.
Like Sawchyn, Alscher was preparing for his first season as a pro, which he spent with the Checkers last season.
The young defenseman played in 53 AHL games, scoring two goals and adding eight assists. He also played in 17 of Charlotte’s playoff games, notching a pair of helpers.
Florida having players at the showcase in consecutive years is significant, because before Alscher in 2024, the last Panthers player to appear at the annual preseason gathering was Henrik Borgstrom in 2018.
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Photo caption: Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn speaks after a 2025 Development Camp practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. (Florida Panthers)