The Florida Panthers took another crucial step in retaining their Stanley Cup championship roster by agreeing to terms with the youngest member of the team’s core.
Panthers general manager Bill Zito announced Wednesday that the team has extended the contract of center Anton Lundell. The six-year deal reportedly is worth $30 million, according to several media outlets, and keeps Lundell in South Florida through the 2029-30 season.
Lundell, who is just 22 years old, recorded 13 goals and 22 assists while manning the Panthers’ third line last season. He logged just under half his regular season points in the playoffs with 17 points in 24 games.
“Anton has matured into a dependable multirole center for our club, who seized his opportunity from his first day in North America,” Zito said in a statement. “His commitment to improvement and cerebral approach to the game earned him the profound respect of his teammates and coaches, and we are excited to see him continue to grow and succeed with the Panthers.”
Lundell is the third player to re-sign with Florida this offseason, joining defenseman Dmitry Kulikov and winger Sam Reinhart, who led the team in goals last season. Lundell is one of five Panthers to be under contract through 2029-30. He joins Reinhart, team captain Aleksander Barkov, winger Carter Verhaeghe and defenseman Gustav Forsling.
Drafted 12th overall by the Panthers in 2020, Lundell has quickly cemented himself as a part of the team’s core and will have plenty of time to grow under Florida’s prolific offensive group.
Other free agent news
Florida announced the signing of defenseman Nate Schmidt Wednesday afternoon. He penned a one-year deal worth a reported $800 thousand.
Schmidt, 32, notched 14 points for the Winnipeg Jets last season and appeared in 62 games.
“Nate is a veteran puck-moving defenseman who we expect to seamlessly integrate with our style of play,” Zito said. “We are excited to welcome him to our club in 2024-25.”
Schmidt was signed as the Panthers look to replace defensive production from Brandon Montour, who left for Seattle on Monday for a seven-year contract.
It wasn’t all gains for Florida in free agency Wednesday. The Panthers are parting ways with right wing Vladimir Tarasenko after he signed a 2-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings worth $9.5 million.
Tarasenko arrived in Florida in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in March. He scored five goals and assisted on four more during the Panthers’ postseason run with a plus-minus rating of +4. Florida now must find a replacement for Tarasenko’s consistent production on the third line.
