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2024 Florida Panthers Training Camp

Florida Panthers Forward Misses Start of Training Camp

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2 weeks ago

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Florida Panthers rookie Mackie Samoskevich, left, defends against Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison in his NHL debut on Oct. 12 in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers came into their first day of training camp Thursday without many significant injuries.

There was one player who was not on the ice, however.

Rookie forward Mackie Samoskevich was missing from the first day of workouts at the IcePlex with what coach Paul Maurice said was a minor upper body injury.

Samoskevich, 21, apparently tweaked something during informal skates last week.

Maurice said that Samoskevich would be held out of the first three days of practice as well as Sunday’s preseason doubleheader against the Nashville Predators in Sunrise.

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“We’re not worried about it,’’ Maurice said. “We just don’t want it getting worse because this is an important training camp for him.

“We expect him to be back on Tuesday. He is going to IR skate today, tomorrow and Saturday, we got the game Sunday, he will skate full-on heavy on our off day (Monday) and then we expect him back in practice full contact.”

As Maurice said, this is a big camp for Samoskevich as he is expected to make the team and could be in the Opening Night lineup.

Florida’s first-round pick in 2021 (24th overall), Samoskevich spent most of last season with AHL Charlotte but did make his NHL debut and played in seven games with the Panthers.

“He had a really good first year pro,” Maurice said. “We have a lot of faith in the young man as a player … we have a number of other players that are going to compete for that job. So, there is competition, but we have faith that he can grab it.”

Florida was also without goalie Mack Guzda due to an undisclosed injury which kept him out of the rookie showcase this past weekend in Nashville.

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Florida Johnny

Already? Hurt during an informal skate session? Make him earn his spot, no coddling.

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Just Sayin

Technically, the Panthers are without Guzda for the foreseeable future, because they chose to no re-sign him. He signed an AHL deal with Charlotte. He’s no longer a Panthers prospect.

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George Richards, FHN Publisher

Well, he signed the AHL deal because he is hurt. Same deal as Gadjovich took coming into camp last year.

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George Richards, FHN Publisher

Which means he’s still with the Panthers – officially unofficially

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Just Sayin

There’s no such thing as “officially unofficially”. And what is the injury that kept him out after two games last season? How bad is it that it’s keeping him out of games for a year? No one has reported it, here or in Charlotte.

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George Richards, FHN Publisher

Word is it is something with his back. And the plan is the AHL deal will go back to an NHL deal once he is healthy. Because he was injured last season and there was a chance he would not be ready for the start of the season – like Gadjovich last year – he signed an AHL contract so not to count against the 50-man roster. When Gadjovich was healthy, he signed an NHL contract with the Panthers.

Last edited 14 days ago by George Richards, FHN Publisher
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Just Sayin

I have hope for Guzda. I’d like to see him succeed and eventually back-up Knight, if all plays out correctly. Seeing Black develop as well would be nice. Not much else in the pipeline in net currently

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