Florida Panthers Get Top Rookie Back Tonight

After missing the past three games due to illness, the Florida Panthers will get rookie forward Mackie Samoskevich back in the lineup tonight in St. Louis.

The Panthers play the Blues at 8.

“Samo is in man,’’ Paul Maurice said. “He was flying around in the morning skate. We were a little precautionary in Washington, so we didn’t play him. We expect him to be at 100 percent tonight.’’

Samoskevich, 22, will be back on the second line with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk — where he was before falling ill.

Jonah Gadjovich was not expecting to play Saturday afternoon against the Blackhawks Saturday before Samoskevich was ruled out. Gadjovich will be scratched tonight.

“His curve has been very steep, his improvement has been quite drastic,’’ Maurice said last week.

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“He is quite a bit further ahead this year than I would have thought him to be. … He needed a year of pro. He is a much different player than he was a year ago. Credit to him and the work he has put in.’’

Although Samoskevich has not scored in 2025, a span of 14 straight games, he has 16 shots on goal in his the previous four games.

When Tkachuk was put back on the second line, he played on the left side with Samoskevich staying on the right.

That changed during Florida’s 3-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings last week, with Tkachuk going to the right wing as he has played much of his career and Samoskevich going to the left for the first time in a long time.

Maurice said he really likes the way Samoskevich plays with Bennett; Samoskevich obviously digs playing with Bennett and Tkachuk.

“It’s a lot of fun, yeah, I am enjoying it,” he said last week. “They are such good players. We are playing against some of the other team’s best most nights, and the best defense is our offense. If we can play in their end for a lot of it, that’s great. But on the other side, our transition is good. They are both so good at finding me.’’

ON DECK: GAME No. 56

FLORIDA PANTHERS at ST. LOUIS BLUES 

• When: Thursday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 2, Blues 1 (Dec. 20). At St. Louis: Thursday.
• Last Season: Even 1-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: St. Louis leads 27-14-1, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday vs. Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.