Florida rewards the versatile Finnish forward with a massive raise and long-term security, solidifying a core roster of twelve stars committed to South Florida through the decade.
The Florida Panthers are locking up another one of their key pieces to a long-term deal.
Florida is coming to terms with forward Eetu Luostarinen on an 8-year contract extension that will carry an average annual value (AAV) of $5 million, according to PuckPedia.
Luostarinen is entering the final year of a 3-year deal that carried a $3 million AAV, so this will be a significant raise for the young Finn.
The Panthers are also showing an incredible amount of trust in the 27-year-old, offering him a full eight-year term.
Luostarinen arrived in South Florida as part of the 2020 Trade Deadline deal that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark, Chase Priskie and Luostarinen.
His play has progressively improved during his time with the Panthers, growing into an integral part of the team’s forward ranks.
Often paired up with countryman Anton Lundell, Luostarinen features a high-end, two-way game and can play either the wing or center.
He’s also an elite penalty killer with sneaky strong offensive capabilities.
The deal will give Florida 12 players, including Luostarinen, who are signed through at least 2030: Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad, Gus Forsling, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, Seth Jones, Carter Verhaeghe, Niko Mikkola and Lundell.
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Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
