Top prospects for Florida Panthers

NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, the top five prospects for the Florida Panthers, according to NHL.com.

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1. Grigori Denisenko, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 15 pick in 2018 NHL Draft
Last season:Florida (NHL): 1 GP, 0-0-0; Charlotte (AHL): 30 GP, 9-9-18
Denisenko's second season in North America had its ups and downs; he had a stretch of nine points in 10 games before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in January. Before he was injured, Denisenko (5-foot-11, 186 pounds) had 17 points in 23 games and was showcasing the kind of offensive skills the Panthers saw in the 22-year-old in Russia.
Denisenko, who remained in the game and scored the winning goal the night he was injured, figures to start the season with Charlotte again.
"He loves being at the rink and loves to work on his game," Charlotte coach Geordie Kinnear said. "He continued to ask me, 'Is there more ice tomorrow night? Can I get on again?' When you have that much passion for the game and you want to be around the rink, you're going to get better."

Projected NHL arrival: 2023-24 season

2. Mackie Samoskevich, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 24 pick in 2021 NHL Draft
Last season:Michigan (NCAA): 40 GP, 10-19-29
Samoskevich (5-11, 191) found a way to make an impact as a freshman at the University of Michigan on a team that featured four of the top five picks in the 2021 draft and reached the Frozen Four. The 19-year-old is expected to take on a larger role as a sophomore, which should allow him to continue to develop his all-around game.
"He's going to be a special player, in my opinion," said Gregory Campbell, the Panthers' vice president of player personnel and development. "And I'm not alone in that thought. He was sheltered a little bit this year because they had such a strong team in Michigan, so I think this year he'll even excel more. We're happy that he went through that and now he's going to be have an opportunity to be a leader for his team coming up this season. I think he's a guy that's not too far away from playing in the NHL."
Projected NHL arrival: 2024-25

3. Aleksi Heponiemi, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 40 pick in 2017 NHL Draft
Last season:Florida (NHL): 6 GP, 0-1-1; Charlotte (AHL): 56 GP, 9-30-39
The 23-year-old center got a brief call-up from the Panthers for a second consecutive season and continued to show the kind of playmaking ability that made him a second-round pick despite his frame (5-10, 155).
Heponiemi figures to battle for a roster spot in training camp but likely would benefit from another season in Charlotte.
Projected NHL arrival: 2023-24

4. Justin Sourdif, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 87 pick in 2020 NHL Draft
Last season: Vancouver/Edmonton (WHL): 52 GP, 26-45-71
An injury prevented Sourdif (5-11, 182) from participating in Panthers development camp this summer, but he should get a long look during training camp after his successful WHL career.
The 20-year-old scored 86 goals in the WHL the past four seasons and initially was selected to play for Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championship before it was postponed last December.
"What I liked about Justin this year was the way his coaches used him in junior really kind of steered him towards being a guy that can be a two-way forward," Campbell said. "He goes to the hard areas, he plays the right way. He has the ability to produce offense, but he knows that the defensive responsibilities come first. He's got a good mind for the game."

Projected NHL arrival: 2023-24

5. Michael Benning, D

How acquired: Selected with No. 95 pick in 2020 NHL Draft
Last season: Denver (NCAA): 41 GP, 15-23-38
Benning (5-9, 177), the son of former NHL defenseman Brian Benning and brother of Nashville Predators defenseman Matt Benning, is a dynamic offensive defenseman. The 20-year-old helped the University of Denver win the national championship, scoring the winning goal against Minnesota State in the Frozen Four final.
"His two-way game has gotten a lot better," Campbell said. "It's something that we need to keep working on. The skill will always be there.
Projected NHL arrival: 2024-25