Patrick Giles Pushing for a Spot On the Florida Panthers

SUNRISE — Two years ago, the Florida Panthers gave undrafted Boston College forward Patrick Giles a tryout with the Charlotte Checkers.

They were so impressed with how he played at the AHL level that the Panthers offered Giles a contract.

It was a move which has paid off — and could be especially meaningful right now.

Giles, 24, is having a most impressive training camp with the Panthers which could turn into a spot with the team come Opening Night.

With fourth-line center Tomas Nosek out with an undisclosed upper-body injury that may keep him out for some time, the Panthers are looking for someone to fill that role.

It could be Giles who gets the gig.

On Saturday night, the 24-year-old played in his fourth preseason game and scored his second goal in a 5-4 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Giles has six points in those four games and looked like he could slide in on a line with the likes of A.J. Greer, Jesper Boqvist, and/or Jonah Gadjovich.

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At 6-4 and 220 pounds, Giles has the brawn to jump on a fourth-line role, although the thing coach Paul Maurice has been most impressed with is how Giles came flying into camp.

The Panthers are big on speed and size.

Giles has been naturally gifted with the later — but has worked on bringing the former as well.

“He has had a good camp and he his statistics are not as important as the improvement he has had year-over-year,” Maurice said. “The guy comes in, and he is considerable faster than he was last year. He has good hands around the net for a big guy.

“He is making a case for himself. He has done what he needs to do in this camp and has moved himself up the depth chart.”

Nosek was injured after being tripped into the boards in a preseason game against the Predators last Sunday.

Maurice relayed an optimistic timeline for a potential return earlier this week, but said Saturday night that Nosek — a veteran who was signed to be Florida’s fourth-line center — was “a long way from skating.”

So, the Panthers appear to have a roster spot open which was not expected when camp opened.

Giles says he is not thinking about the possibilities which could lay ahead with the Panthers.

He is just trying to keep moving forward.

“I was fired up to play, it was a blessing to play in both games,” said Giles, who scored 13 goals for the Charlotte Checkers last season and has been in all four of the exhibition games he was eligible for this preseason.

“It went pretty well on Saturday, so I am pretty fired up. It has been a slow process, but I have come a long way from a couple years ago. It is a long camp, I am trying to take it day-by-day and to see what happens.’’

— The Panthers are expected to make some roster moves as early as Sunday, although it is believed the team will still have two teams when they practice on Monday.

Florida’s top two junior-eligible players — Gracyn Sawchyn and Hunter St. Martin — have been practicing with the NHL players all week and played on Saturday night.

— On Saturday night, the Panthers trailed Carolina 4-1 in the second period before coming back to tie the score going into the third.

After a scoreless third period, Florida won the game on a rebound goal by Jesper Boqvist off a St. Martin rebound with 2:20 remaining.

Chris Driedger played the entire game for Florida, making 27 saves.

Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start Monday night against the visiting Lightning.

— The Panthers, who are expected to draw their largest home crowds since their first season (1998-99) in Sunrise, had an announced crowd of 14,702 on Saturday night.

— Florida had four players with multi-point games on Saturday night: Giles (1-1), Wilmer Skoog (1-1), Ryan McAllister (0-2), and Niko Mikkola (0-2).

Photo Credit: Patrick Giles celebrates his first-period goal — his second of the preseason — in the Florida Panthers 5-4 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night in Sunrise. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

PANTHERS (PRESEASON) ON DECK

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (1-2) at FLORIDA PANTHERS (3-2)

• When: Monday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale); WHDT 9 (West Palm); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/Fort Myers)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: None
• 2023-24 Regular Season Series (Panthers Won 2-1) — At Tampa Bay: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (Dec. 27); Panthers 9, Lightning 2 (Feb. 17). At Florida: Lightning 5, Panthers 3 (March 16).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 77-51-19, 10 ties
• All-Time Postgame Series: Lightning Leads 2-1 (won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS); Florida d. Lightning 4-1 in 2024 first-round.
• Up Next for the Panthers: Wednesday at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. (Scripps TV 39/9/36.3; Panthers+, NHL Network)

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KEY DATES FOR THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

• Florida Panthers Preseason: Through Oct. 5
• Florida Panthers Ring Ceremony, Sunrise: Monday, Oct. 7
• Florida Panthers Opening Night/Banner Unveiling: Tuesday, Oct. 8 vs. Bruins (ESPN)