Gus Forsling and Anton Lundell speak after Panthers Game 6 win over Boston on May 17. The Florida Panthers have made several moves over the past few months intended to shore up the long-term success and sustainability of the franchise. Panthers General Manager Bill Zito has done an incredible job of building the team up from the decent, fringe playoff team he inherited in 2020 to a Stanley Cup Champion. Now the goal is keeping the Panthers at the highest of levels for as long as possible. Most of the team’s core group of players have been signed to long-term extensions under Zito’s watch. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] Sasha Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk are both under contract until 2030. Earlier this summer, Zito inked Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell to extensions that will keep them with the team through 2032 and 2030, respectively. Another key member of the Cats was also given a lengthy extension earlier this year. Defenseman Gustav Forsling moved into the spotlight during the Stanley Cup Playoffs as one of the NHL’s premiere blueliners. The 28-year-old former waiver wire pickup has seen his stock rise every year in South Florida, to the point where he was able to cash in with an eight-year extension worth $46 million. That deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $5.75 million. A relatively low number like that is a great deal today, but with a rising salary cap it should only look better and better as Forsling enters what should be the prime years of his career. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic agrees [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5632225/2024/07/16/nhl-10-best-contracts-2024/], ranking Forsling’s new deal as the best in the NHL. “Some folks were skeptical about the valuation of Forsling at the time,” Luszczyszyn wrote. “I would imagine that skepticism is all but gone now after seeing the work he put in en route to the Panthers’ Stanley Cup win — he was excellent. Forsling plays shutdown minutes and handles them better than almost any other defenseman. He’s an exceptional puck-mover who does a lot of things well, and to do that given the difficulty of his minutes is what makes him a no-doubt franchise defenseman. By Net Rating, he ranks inside the league’s top 15. That’s worth a lot of money, way more than what Forsling will be paid for the next eight seasons.” Luszczyszyn’s latest list of the NHL’s best contracts also included Tkachuk’s deal, which pays him an AAV of $9.5 million for the next six seasons. The contract came in sixth on the list. “He’s a unicorn who does everything at a high level,” Luszczyszyn wrote of Tkachuk. “He holds one of the best projected Net Ratings in the league, a mark that should have him earning closer to $13 million next season instead of his current $9.5 million cap hit. That number only goes up higher as the cap is expected to grow. That Tkachuk is only 26 means he still has a lot of excellent years left in front of him, which turns into over $25 million in surplus value for the Panthers. Florida got a great deal here.” To check out Luszczyszyn’s full Top 10 over at The Athletic, click here [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5632225/2024/07/16/nhl-10-best-contracts-2024/]. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Brandon Montour bringing Stanley Cup to Six Nations for parade, celebration [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/brandon-montour-bringing-stanley-cup-to-six-nations-for-parade-celebration] Panthers 2024 top pick Linus Eriksson enjoys strong start with Florida [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/panthers-2024-top-pick-linus-eriksson-enjoys-strong-start-with-florida] Matthew Tkachuk’s mouthpiece has made it to the Hockey Hall of Fame [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/matthew-tkachuks-mouthpiece-has-made-it-to-the-hockey-hall-of-fame] Panthers Chris McLellan takes Stanley Cup fishing in Florida Keys as summer Cup trips begin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-chris-mclellan-takes-stanley-cup-fishing-in-florida-keys-as-summer-cup-trips-begin] Finnish Florida Panthers enjoying life during summer as Stanley Cup Champions [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/finnish-florida-panthers-enjoying-life-during-summer-as-stanley-cup-champions] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
