In a bit of a surprise. the Florida Panthers have dealt forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken for the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and a second-rounder in 2027.
Samoskevich is a 23-year-old who put up career-highs in assists (20) and points (32) this past season after a painfully slow start offensively. He will be reunited with Kraken center Matty Beniers, a college teammate at the University of Michigan in 2021-22.
Florida now has two selections in the first round of the draft on Friday. Will they use the picks to acquire a big fish or will they use them to bolster a prospect base that is considered one of the worst in the NHL?
We’ll find out this week. Stay tuned…