Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich to Entry-Level Deal


The Florida Panthers announced that they have signed prospect Mackie Samsokevich to a three-year, entry-level deal on Monday afternoon.
Samoskevich, 20, scored 20 goals and 43 points in his sophomore season at the University of Michigan while leading them to the semifinal of the Frozen Four.
The 2021 first-round pick helped Michigan to a berth in the National Championship as a freshman in 2021-22. He scored 10 goals and 29 points before falling to fellow Panthers prospect Mike Benning and the University of Denver in the championship game.
“Mackie is a creative, dynamic playmaker who possesses an elite shooting ability and high hockey IQ,” said Florida general manager Bill Zito. “We’re excited to sign him to our organization and to see him take the next step in his progression as a professional.”
Samoskevich signed an amateur try-out deal with the Charlotte Checkers following the conclusion of his 2022-23 season at Michigan and notched two assists in two regular season games in the AHL.
The 5-foot-11 forward added four assists in seven Calder Cup Playoffs before the Checkers were eliminated in the second-round by the Hershey Bears.
Samoskevich will be available to play during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
His entry-level deal with the Panthers is expected to kick in immediately, per CapFriendly.com.
The contract carries an annual cap hit of $925,000 and he will be a restricted free-agent upon the expiry of the deal following the 2024-25 season.
This is a developing story. It will be updated once new information becomes available.
FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (ATL2) AT FLORIDA PANTHERS (WC2)
GAME 3 (Panthers Lead 2-0)
- When: Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
- Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
- TV: TBS
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
- First Round Schedule — Game 1: Florida 4, @Toronto 2; Game 2: Florida 3, @Toronto 2; Game 3: Sunday at Florida, 6:30 (TBS); Game 4: Wednesday at Florida, 7 (ESPN); Game 5*:Friday, May 12 at Toronto (TNT); Game 6*: Sunday, May 14 at Florida (TBA); Game 7*:May 16 at Toronto (TNT). (*) – If Necessary
- How They Got Here: Toronto d. Tampa Bay 4-2; Florida d. Boston 4-3
- Season Series (Toronto won 3-1): Maple Leafs 5, @Panthers 4 OT (Jan. 17); @Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 2 (Mar. 23); Panthers 3, @Maple Leafs 2 OT (March 29); Maple Leafs 2, @Panthers 1 OT (April 10)
- Last season: Florida won 2-1
- All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 48-36-7, 7 ties
- Postseason History: First Meeting


Colby, do you think this guy’s got a chance to crack the lineup next year? Or, like most young prospects, is he going to need a few years in the A before he’s ready?
He definitely looks more ready than most of Florida’s prospects are but I don’t know if he cracks the NHL lineup right away. Ultimately depends on who the Panthers bring in during free agency and how many spots end up being up for grabs.
Colby, does the ELC deal slide if he doesn’t play in any playoff games? Seems a bit foolish to sign him now (before 07/01) only to pay him for a full year of the deal and lose one of the years on the contract.
The year on his contract burns no matter what, but I guess the idea is to get him here so he can learn from being around the run.
The idea when they signed Benning was the flexibility lost when burning the year would be made up with his value not being as high after Pro Year 2 vs Pro Year 3, so I imagine they save money on his second contract there.