Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson (31) gets caught out of the net trying to clear the puck as Florida Panthers center Wilmer Skoog (32) closes in during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/47b4faf4-780e-475f-b9ab-24aea61e1eaf.jpeg] Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson (31) gets caught out of the net trying to clear the puck as Florida Panthers center Wilmer Skoog (32) closes in during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images The Florida Panthers have signed forward Wilmer Skoog to a one-year, two-way deal, President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Bill Zito announced on Thursday, July 17. Skoog was signed as a college free agent following a four-year career at Boston University. In the NCAA, Skoog recorded 40 goals and 76 points in 103 games, including 16 goals and 31 points in 37 games in his senior year. The 6-foot-2 center signed with the Panthers and has spent the past two seasons playing with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL and the Florida Everblades in the ECHL. This past season, Skoog finally felt some consistency, playing in 72 games in the AHL, notching nine goals and 24 points, adding another three goals and seven points in 18 postseason games en route to a Calder Cup finals loss. Although the entirety of his 2024-25 season was played in the AHL, it was a step down from his rookie season production, where he scored 22 goals and 31 points in 49 games. If the native of Stockholm, Swe, can bring his game back to the level it was in his rookie season, there is a high possibility he can earn a call-up to the NHL if the Panthers run into injury trouble. He has an NHL frame and could be a safe player to plug into the bottom six.
