The Florida Panthers have been on a small slump in their first season as defending Stanley Cup Champions. They currently trail the Toronto Maple Leafs by one measly point for first in the Atlantic Division with a record of 12-7-1 and 25 points. This comes after the team dropped four of their last five games after winning seven straight previously.
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Despite the slump, the team has bright spots. A perfect example of that is forward Mackie Samoskevich. After not playing much last season, it seems as if he’s finally developing to form. The first-round selection from Newtown, Connecticut has become a big piece of the Panther core over the past two months.
Mackie Samoskevich Finds His Game
On Oct. 26, he scored his first NHL goal in a 6-3 Panther victory on the road against the New York Islanders. That was a moment he’s been waiting to witness for a long time.
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Since then, he’s been sporadically picking up points in his appearances. In his last six games, he’s scored two goals and assisted on one other. On the season, he has five total points (three goals, two assists).
He may not have shown up in his point production this season, but he’s doing a lot to generate offense. He has 0.85 individual expected goals per 60 minutes. He averages nearly six shots on goal per 60 minutes.
The Team Around Samoskevich Agrees
The team around him is happy to see him get better each and every day. Forward Matthew Tkachuk even agrees with how much he’s grown. Especially considering how impressive his first goal was:
“I don’t think we’re going to forget that one. One of the nicest first goals I’ve ever seen. Way nicer than mine.”
– Matthew Tkachuk on Mackie Samoskevich scoring his first NHL goal
Head Coach Paul Maurice has had nothing but praise for Samoskevich‘s development in his second NHL call-up. Because of that, he is now a main piece of the roster.
“When he came back [for his second NHL call-up], he had a way better understanding of the pro game – where you can create time, where there’s no time at all,” Maurice said of Samoskevich’s development. “There’s so much of the amateur game that doesn’t prepare you for here. It’s the size and speed, the gap closure. For offensive guys, that’s what they live on. It’s night and day.”
– Paul Maurice on Mackie Samoskevich
He still has a very long way to go in his career. But the progress he’s made now has paved the road to his future success in the NHL.
Will Samoskevich Continue to Develop?
Of course, Samoskevich still has a long way to go. But he is enjoying the experience of lacing it up with the Panthers whenever he’s in the lineup, and it’s resulted in him honing his skills.
“Ever since I was drafted, I’ve gotten a little bit bitter every time I’ve been with the Panthers. Each time I’m here, I take what I can get and take what I can learn from other guys.”
– Mackie Samoskevich on playing with the Florida Panthers
His impact on the lineup is huge. The first-round selection was drafted that high for a reason. If he continues to trend in the right direction, general manager Bill Zito may have another great hit in his draft selections.
