Florida Panthers: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about

4. Anton Lundell

The most recent pick the Florida Panthers have had that cracks this list is Anton Lundell, who was taken 12th overall at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Coming into the Draft, the talented Finnish forward already had two seasons with HIFK Helsinki in the SM-Liiga under his belt, the most recent in which he posted 10 goals and 28 points in 44 games.

Lundell is currently playing in his third season with Helsinki, and is off to a terrific start, leading his team with 12 goals and 20 points in 17 games. He was able to show his skills on the world stage at the 2021 World Junior Championship, where he had six goals and 10 points in seven matches. He would likely be the top prospect on many other NHL teams’ lists but, given the Panthers’ loaded farm system, he sits at fourth. Still, the future is extremely bright for him and Panthers fans should be very excited.

3. Grigori Denisenko

Grigori Denisenko, who the Panthers selected 15th overall at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, is a very exciting prospect. The 20-year-old Russian forward has spent the past two seasons in the KHL, which is very impressive for a player of his age. The 2019-20 season saw him post six goals and six assists in 38 games for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv.

Many may recognize Denisenko’s name from the World Juniors, as he represented Team Russia at both the 2019 and 2020 tournament, and was the team captain his second time around. In a combined 14 games at the tournament, he put together seven goals and 18 points, proving just how skilled he is. He signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers back in July, meaning he will play the 2020-21 season in North America. Whether it is in the NHL or AHL is yet to be determined but, regardless, he has a great chance to become an NHL star.