Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings
#31: Florida Panthers
Number of Ranked Prospects: 27
Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 0
Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 0
Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 154th
Top Forward Prospect in The System: Simon Zether (104th)
Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Matvei Shuravin (71st)
System Score: 1
Lifting the Stanley Cup is much easier when it is not full of prospects, and the Panthers skating around the rink a few months ago were well appreciative of the absence of several junior and college players clinging to the rim. Much like those in Boston, the cupboards in Sunshine, Florida are remarkably empty with only two prospects ranked within the top 100 on either the forwards or the defensemen lists. One key difference between the Bruins and the Panthers is named Anton Lundell, the Finnish center that Florida selected 12th overall in 2020 and has since became a mainstay in the starting lineup with 216 NHL games thus far (in which he has scored 112 points). Despite having four first-round picks since the 2018 draft, the Panthers have not had a first-rounder since they took Mackie Samoskevich in 2021. In fact, the highest pick they have used in the past three drafts 58th overall in 2024 which they used to select Linus Eriksson.