Just when it looked like the Florida Panthers were actually going make a first-round choice or two at the 2026 NHL Draft, they pulled a fast one on us and traded both picks to the Ottawa Senators for Brady Tkachuk and didn’t make their initial selection until early in the second round, when they took forward Simas Ignatavičius 40th overall.
Born in Memphis, TN and raised in Lithuania, Ignatavičius became just the fourth player from that country drafted by an NHL team, joining Darius Kasparaitis, Dainius Zubrus and Andrey Pedan.
At the young age of twelve, he moved to Switzerland to play against higher-caliber competition, coming up through the Genève Future Hockey system.
Ignatavičius spent most of his draft season with Genève-Servette HC of the top-flight National League, appearing in all 52 regular season games and producing seven goals and six assists. He also played eight games in the second-tier Swiss League on loan with HC Thurgau, where he put up an impressive seven goals and 11 points, and one additional match with Genève-Servette in the Champions League.
In the National League playoffs, Ignatavičius suited up in 11 of Genève-Servette HC’s 12 games as the team advanced to the semifinals, where they were eliminated in five by HC Fribourg-Gottéron after ousting Lausanne HC in seven games in the quarterfinals. Ignatavičius finished the postseason with two goals and an assist.
Ignatavičius has been representing Lithuania internationally since the 2021-22 season. His most notable performance was at the 2025 World Junior Championship Division II-A tournament in Zagreb, Croatia in January. He led the tournament in goals (8) and points (14) and helped his country win promotion to the Division I-B level.
After he was drafted, Ignatavičius attended Panthers development camp and scored a goal in the 3-on-3 scrimmage game held on the final day. Another season in the National League is on tap for Ignatavičius, who will turn 19 on October 22.
A lot of scouting reports have Ignatavičius’ ceiling as a bottom-six, depth scoring type. However, if he switches positions from center to wing, there is a very good chance that he ends up as a middle-six winger. He’s got the size and strength you like to see in a top prospect and possesses an NHL caliber shot and knows how to get to open ice for scoring chances. While some scouts have questioned his motor and compete level, those are areas that can be addressed by the coaching staff and being immersed in Panthers’ culture. In a system that’s scant on high-end skill or athleticism, Ignatavičius, who is tall, fast and has silky mitts, is a prospect to be excited about.