The Florida Panthers selected Simas Ignatavicius with the 40th overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. The 18-year-old is a big, speedy and physical winger who plays the style of hockey the Panthers desire.
The Florida Panthers were slated to make the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft before trading it to the Ottawa Senators. They also dealt the 25th pick, which they acquired from the Seattle Kraken, to land Brady Tkachuk.
All that meant was that the Panthers wouldn’t be making a selection in the NHL draft until the second round, 40th overall to be exact.
Despite a relatively long wait, the Panthers made good use of that pick, selecting Lithuanian forward Simas Ignatavicius.
The 18-year-old is a late 2007 birthday, born after the September 15 cutoff. Standing 6-foot-3, 201 pounds, Ignatavicius brings elements the Panthers cherish.
Ignatavicius’ game revolves around straight-line speed, physicality, and two-way ability. The Panthers also love size, and Ignatavicius brings it.
Ignatavicius has been playing in Switzerland since he was 12, leaving his parents behind at a young age.
“I was born in Memphis, Tennessee,” Ignatavicius said after being drafted. “Long story short, my dad used to play professional basketball, like college, and then played in Europe, and after his career, he was just living in the U.S. with my mom, and obviously both parents were Lithuanian, so they decided to move back to Lithuania, and I went with them. After that, I left my parents at the age of 12, I went by myself to Switzerland, so that was a big thing, and here I am now.”
Ignatavicius has been playing with Genève-Servette HC for quite some time now and made his NL debut this season, scoring seven goals and 13 points in 52 games. He’ll return to Switzerland for the 2026-27 season, where he’ll continue to round out his game and improve offensively.
Many draft analysts saw Ignatavicius landing late in the first round or even early in the second, meaning the Panthers got great value from their selection at 40th overall.
How Ignatavicius develops will be interesting. With a fairly polished two-way ability and a high motor, he has an attainable floor as a bottom-six winger. But the Panthers will likely be hoping he can develop into something more.
His physical tools are very compelling, and if his skill level continues to develop, particularly in his shot and playmaking, there is possible top-six upside. Ignatavicius mentioned he likes to model his game after Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.
“I think just playing a 200-foot game, obviously defense first, then offense, playing hard,” said Ignatavicius. “Obviously they have Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk now, two big players, physical, but I’m sure I can help that too. I’m a big guy, not scared to go into dirty areas, and I think that’s what can help the team go to the playoffs and go for the Stanley Cup, so I’ll do my best, and yeah, I’m just ready to work.”
Tkachuk is a player who can make skilled plays with the puck but isn’t afraid to get to the dirty areas of the ice to be effective.
Other Panthers prospects, like Sandis Vilmanis, have thrived because of their ability to flourish in the Panthers’ brand of hockey, and the hope is that Ignatavicius can do the same.
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