Florida selected Sourdif in the third round, 87th overall, at the 2020 NHL Draft

It's been quite a year for Justin Sourdif.

Selected in the third round by the Florida Panthers at the 2020 NHL Draft, Sourdif made his professional debut last season with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers after a stellar junior career in the WHL.

Injuries would hamper Sourdif's ability to stay in the lineup and build momentum during year one, which is a tough thing for a 20-year-old rookie to cope with.

To his credit, Sourdif was quick to hit the reset button.

He showed up for Panthers development camp in July with a big smile on his face and ready to put in the work, and things have just snowballed from there.

"I think for me, this year is just about having fun," Sourdif said Wednesday. "If you're having fun, you have confidence and you're just enjoying your time here. It makes it so much easier to go out there on the ice and do what you do best. I think last year with the injuries and just kind of having lower level of confidence, I wasn't myself. This year I wanted to come in and change that."

By all accounts, it would appear the positive mindset has worked out quite nicely.

Sourdif has consistently played well from the start of development camp through Florida's NHL training camp and straight into the preseason.

Now he's starting the regular season on a Panthers roster and could soon be making his NHL debut.

"He was very good," Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said.

While Sourdif may not be the biggest guy, listed at 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds, he makes up for it with a tenacious, fearless checking attitude and a motor that doesn't quit.

His style of play fits in quite well with what Maurice asks of his forwards.

“Speed first, he's got a willingness to get into the heavy areas quickly," Maurice said. "He's got some good hands on him and we like his energy."

Speaking after Wednesday's practice at the Ice Den in Coral Springs, Maurice alluded to Sourdif and fellow rookie Mackie Samoskevich getting into a game in the not-too-distant future, but wouldn't divulge much more than that.

"We think there are two good prospects who, sooner rather than later, will make their NHL debuts," Maurice said.

Whether that means Opening Night on Thursday in Minnesota, sometime during Florida's three-game road trip or afterwards, Sourdif is taking things as they come while soaking up as much as he can.

"I'm super excited," he said. "I'm really happy to be up here with the guys and while I'm up here I'm just going to try to learn as much as possible and enjoy the experience."