Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling is the new-era version of San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling is the new-era version of San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling is the new-era version of San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Forsling and the Florida Panthers are about to start their second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. Due to his defensive ability and timely offense, Forsling has been at the forefront of the Panthers' success.
While Forsling likely has more offensive skill than Vlasic did, both players are tasked with shutting down their opponents' best players. That alone made Vlasic part of Canada's 2014 gold-medal Olympic team.
In Vlasic's prime, he was almost universally seen as the NHL's premier shutdown defenseman. With his performance in the last two postseasons, Forsling has begun to earn that same praise.
The 2015-16 season is Vlasic's best offensive season. The d-man finished with 39 points (8 goals, 31 assists) and was a +15. Comparing that to Forsling's 2023-24 regular season, the numbers nearly matchup, but one stat stands out. Forsling had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) but was a +56!
Forsling has more offense to his game than Vlasic, and there's no denying that. The Panthers have deployed Forsling and his d-partner Aaron Ekblad against the top lines of their three playoff opponents. That means Forsling has faced Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak, and New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin. Next up is arguably the most challenging test yet, Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid.
In 2013-14, the Sharks finished with 51 wins. That team had massive Stanley Cup Potential with players like Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton, and Vlasic held down the backend. That season, Vlasic had arguably his most well-rounded season. He finished the season with his career-high +31 and 24 points.
Advanced stats would show that he was even better defensively during the 2014-15 season despite a lower +/-.
Vlasic was a second-round pick in the 2005 NHL Draft and naturally progressed to the NHL. Compare that to Forsling, who was drafted in the fifth round in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. Forsling was traded in 2015 to the Chicago Blackhawks. After three seasons with Chicago, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired the defenseman. Eventually, after placing him on waivers once, the Hurricanes opted to waive him again in 2021. It's safe to say that they likely have regretted that decision as the Panthers claimed him.
The 27-year-old defenseman signed an eight-year $46 million contract with the Panthers in March this season. His play earned him that contract.
Forsling is a smooth-skating defenseman with terrific puck-moving and defensive skills. While he has more offense, he can easily be compared to Vlasic as the best shutdown defenseman in the new era of the NHL.
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