The Florida Panthers first selection of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft at Bell Centre in Montreal was defenseman Marek Alscher of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, who was taken in third round with the 93rd overall pick.
During his draft season, Alscher appeared in 61 regular season games with the Winterhawks, producing seven goals and 16 points, while racking up 48 PIM and posting a plus-20 rating. Well regarded for his defensive play, Alscher helped the Winterhawks, who placed third in the Western Conference, finish with the fourth-best penalty kill percentage in the circuit.
Alscher suited up in all 11 of Portland’s postseason games (0 points, -5, 17 PIM) as the club was eliminated in seven games by the Seattle Thunderbirds, the eventual league champions, after they swept the Prince George Cougars in the opening round.
He also skated in eight international contests with Czechia’s U18 team, including four games at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Prior to coming to North America, the 6-foot-3, 196-pound Czech also played two seasons with the Pelicans U18 club in Finland, recording six goals and 18 points over 60 regular season games.
Alscher was rated 177th by NHL Central Scouting, #110 by EliteProspects and #106 by FCHOCKEY, so being selected in the third round indicates that Zito or a member of the scouting staff felt strongly about his potential, which is that of a reliable, punishing stay-at-home defenseman who can skate well.
Ian Moran of Neutral Zone had this to say about Alscher at the time:
We like that he can switch back and forth from the left or right side with ease. We feel he was most impactful as a penalty killer where his ability to hold the defensive blueline forced offsides and poor decisions. While shorthanded he used his reach to force bobbled pucks to continue moving along the wall which eventually lead to 200′ clears and timely changes. He also showed the athleticism to drop to a knee when blocking a shot without getting caught leaning or ending up off balance.
Alscher inked his entry-level deal with Florida on March 13, 2023, attended development camp in the summer and put in a short appearance at training camp before returning to Portland.
In his second season with the Winterhawks, he suited up in 60 regular season games and increased his offensive numbers slightly, finishing with eight goals and 24 points. He registered 114 shots on goal, notched two game-winners, led the team with 67 PIM and posted a minus-three rating.
Alscher appeared in all nine of Portland’s postseason games, producing four assists, as the Winterhawks bowed out in the second round again, getting the broom treatment from the Kamloops Blazers after they dispatched the Everett Silvertips in five games in the opening round.
After his season in Portland ended, Alscher signed an ATO with the Charlotte Checkers on April 24, 2023. With the Checkers in the midst of a second-round meeting with eventual Calder Cup champions, the Hershey Bears, the 19-year-old was limited to practicing with the AHL club.
Returning to Portland for 2023-24 campaign, Alscher enjoyed a fine third season in the WHL, establishing new career-highs in assists (19), points (26) and plus/minus (+32) while seeing duty in 57 regular season games.
In the playoffs. the Winterhawks bounced Victoria, Everett and Prince George before getting swept in the league final by the Moose Jaw Warriors. Alscher lit the lamp twice and added three assists in the 18-game run.
During the mid-point of the season, Alscher saw duty in seven games for Czechia at the World Junior Championship in Sweden, helping his country capture a bronze medal.
Following another development camp and training camp in South Florida, Alscher decided to turn pro and spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season with the Checkers.
As an AHL rookie, he appeared in 53 regular season games and produced two goals, eight assists and 36 PIM. His first professional point (an assist) came on October 18, in his second career game, and he notched his first goal on November 16, in Springfield. His first and only multi-point game occurred on November 29, in a 5-3 win over the Iowa Wild, when he scored the game-winner and drew an assist on a goal by Rasmus Asplund.
In the Calder Cup playoffs, Charlotte head coach Geordie Kinnear showed a lot of confidence in Alscher, employing him in 17 of the club’s 18 games. He finished the postseason with two assists and 6 PIM.
The 2025-26 campaign saw Alscher spend the majority for the season with the Checkers. He played in 52 games and set a new high with three goals, including one game-winner, and matched the eight assists he posted the year prior. Alscher registered 54 shots on goal, accumulated 32 PIM and finished with a team-best (tied with Sandis Vilmanis) plus-17 rating.
With Florida’s blue line decimated by injuries, Alscher made his NHL debut on April 9 in a 5–1 loss against the Ottawa Senators, logging 19:28 of ice time. He earned his first NHL point in only his second game with the Panthers on April 11, drawing an assist on Tomáš Nosek’s game-winner in a 6–2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played two more games with the Cats to close out the schedule, including the season finale, where he picked up two helpers in am 8-1 rout of the Detroit Red Wings.
He returned to Charlotte and played in the opening game of the series against Springfield and notched his first postseason goal and went plus-two in the 8-1 rout of the Thunderbirds.
Alscher isn’t ever going to win the Norris Trophy, but he is likely to be an NHL defenseman sooner rather than later. Of all the call-ups from Charlotte last season, Alscher may have been the best of the bunch, showing no nerves or sense of hesitation. Since turning pro, he’s added a lot more puck carry and offensive IQ to his game, and is comfortable in transition and confident both with the puck and when not having possession. He gapped up well and was physically strong enough to compete against NHL players. Alscher isn’t going to be a point producer, but there is enough skill there to keep the puck moving in the offensive third.
While he’ll most likely start off in Charlotte, Alscher has all the makings of a rugged, third pairing defender, and there is a very good chance he plays additional NHL games for the Panthers at some point this upcoming season.