Hall of Fame goaltender Roberto Luongo took part in a full Florida Panthers practice on Dec. 28 at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. The Florida Panthers have added another valuable layer to the team's defensive depth. On Wednesday, the Panthers announced they had signed defenseman Uvis Balinskis to a two-year contract extension. The deal will run through the 2025-26 season. “Uvis is a talented two-way defenseman with excellent playmaking abilities,” Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in a statement released by the team. “His successful transition to North American play enabled him to make an immediate impact, and we are excited to have him continue as a professional within our organization.” The new contract carries an average annual value (AAV) of $850,000, per PuckPedia. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] Florida initially signed the 27-year-old Latvian to a two-way, entry-level contract earlier this year following a standout career overseas playing both internationally and in the Czech Extraliga. Balinskis played in 18 games with the Panthers this season, providing solid defense, above-average possession metrics and strong offensive instincts while logging a goal and an assist. He arrived at a time where Florida was in need of depth on the back end. It was known that Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour would be missing time early this season due to both recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. A relative unknown here in North America, Balinskis quickly established himself as a smart, veteran blueliner that was up to facing the challenge that the NHL provides. Making the transition from playing pro hockey in Europe to the best league in the world is an incredibly difficult move that few hockey players, particularly defenseman, have been able to seamlessly pull off. That being the case, it's easy to see why the Panthers wanted to hang on to Balinskis for the foreseeable future. He’s also played in seven games for Florida’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, this season. During his time in the AHL, Balinskis is operating at a point-per-game pace with a goal and seven points with the Checkers. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Three takeaways: Karma on Forsling's side, top line keep driving Panthers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/features/three-takeaways-karma-on-forslings-side-top-line-keep-driving-panthers] Sasha Barkov claims Panthers all-time record with career assist No. 416 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/sasha-barkov-claims-panthers-all-time-record-with-career-assist-no-416] Panthers finish strong in Arizona, take down Coyotes 4-1 to extend winning streak [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-finish-strong-in-arizona-take-down-coyotes-4-1-to-extend-winning-streak] Oliver Ekman-Larsson reflects on time with Coyotes ahead of first game at Mullett Arena [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/features/oliver-ekman-larsson-reflects-on-time-with-coyotes-ahead-of-first-game-at-mullett-arena] Challenging road trip beings with Panthers in Arizona to face surprising Coyotes [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/challenging-road-trip-beings-with-panthers-in-arizona-to-face-surprising-coyotes] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
