Sawchyn joins Florida from the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds

It took some time, but the Florida Panthers finally made their first selection of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Approximately 45 minutes into day two of the draft, Florida announced they were taking center Gracyn Sawchyn with the No. 63 overall pick.

Sawchyn is coming off a solid season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. He said the first person he hugged after hearing his name called was his mom, and that there was no real consideration for it to be someone else.

The Grande Prairie, Alberta native is officially listed as 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds.

Heading into the draft, some viewed Sawchyn as a possible first-round selection, so Florida grabbing him at the way at 63 could end up an excellent bargain for the Panthers.

It works out for both sides as Sawchyn said he’s a big Matthew Tkachuk fan and that his game, which features a lot of gritty elements, is similar to the Panthers’ superstar power forward.

Here is what Sawchyn had to say after being drafted by Florida.

On what excites him about joining the Panthers: "It’s Florida. Obviously they made a good run this year. Team looks like a lot of fun."

On falling to 63: "Obviously there's so many good players here, and every team has a chance to pick what they need. I’m glad I went to Florida."

On his interactions with the Panthers: "I talked to them multiple times. I actually kind of had a feeling I'd go to Florida, so I’m glad worked out."

What gave you that feeling? "We just had good talks. I felt like we connected personally, not just through hockey."

On joining the Panthers: "It's amazing, seeing all the good players there, especially going there after their long run to the Stanley Cup. It's gonna be super cool."

On what he feels he can bring to the Panthers: "I think I bring a lot of skill, along with a lot of compete and grit. I think that's a big thing that separates me from other players, is that grit."