D-Camp Preview: Panthers prospects ready for fun week in South Florida

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- It's that time of the summer again.

An annual week of fun and learning for both drafted and undrafted prospects, the Florida Panthers will welcome 37 players to South Florida for Development Camp from July 10-14.

The group will include 19 forwards, 12 defensemen and six goaltenders.

A full roster can be found HERE.

With all on-ice sessions taking place at the Panthers IceDen, camp will be open to the public.

For a full schedule and a few storylines to keep an eye on, continue reading below.

SCHEDULE

Monday, July 10:

GROUP A 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

GROUP B 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday, July 11:

GROUP B 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

GROUP A 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Wednesday, July 12:

GROUP A 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

GROUP B 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Thursday, July 13:

GROUP B 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

GROUP A 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Friday, July 14:

GROUP A vs. GROUP B Game 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

STORYLINES

MEET THE CLASS OF 2023

Three members of the 2023 draft class will be in attendance at camp.

After hearing their names called at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Gracyn Sawchyn (2nd round, 63rd overall), Olof Glifford (5th round, 159th overall) and Luke Coughlin (6th round, 191st overall) will all be making their first trips down to South Florida since joining the organization's pipeline.

The highest-drafted player of the bunch, Sawchyn registered 58 points (18 goals, 40 assists) in 58 games during his first season in the WHL with Seattle. Helping the Thunderbirds capture the 2023 WHL Championship, he logged 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 17 playoff games.

For any prospect, the first development camp is always special.

SUMMER KNIGHT

Welcome back, Knighter!

Back on the ice with the Panthers for the first time since entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in February, Spencer Knight will man the crease at this week's camp.

The only player among the group with NHL experience, Knight, the 13th overall pick in 2019, has appeared in 57 games with the Panthers over parts of the last three seasons. In 2022-23, the 22-year-old finished with a 9-8-3 record, a 3.18 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.

Having been away from the Panthers for several months, this week's camp should be a great opportunity for Knight to start easing his way back into a good routine prior to training camp.

More than anything, it'll be great just to see him back doing what he does best.

WORLD JUNIORS STARS

After tearing it up for their respective nations at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Ludvig Jansson (Sweden), Jakub Kob (Czechia) and Sandis Vilmanis (Latvia) will all be in Coral Springs.

A fourth-round pick (125th overall) in 2022, Jansson earned a spot on the tournament's All-Star Team after racking up 10 points (four goals, six assists) from the blue line. Helping Czechia take home silver, Kos, a sixth-round pick (184th overall) in 2021, notched two goals and three assists.

Vilmanis, who was selected by the Panthers in the fifth round (157th overall) in 2022, produced a goal and an assist over the course of two huge wins against Austria in a best-of-three relegation series to help Latvia hold on to its spot in the main group for the World Juniors in 2024.

It's particularly encouraging to see Kos in attendance at camp. In March, the 20-year-old forward had his 2022-23 season come to an abrupt end when he suffered a scary neck injury after being pushed head-first into the boards while playing for KOOVEE in Finland.

Roughly four months later, it'll be great to see him back on the ice in South Florida.

THE CHAMP IS HERE

Evan Nause is riding high heading into his second D-Camp with the Cats.

After amassing nine points (five goals, four assists) during the playoffs to help the Remparts claim the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as the top team in the QMJHL, the 20-year-old defenseman went on to post two more assists in four games to help Quebec win the 2023 Memorial Cup.

Scooped up by the Panthers in the second round (56th overall) in 2021, Nause, who recorded 29 points (five goals, 24 assists) in 40 games during the 2022-23 regular season in the WHL, inked a three-year, entry-level contract with Florida at last summer's camp.

A gifted skater, Nause will be easy for fans to spot on the ice.

RETURN OF THE MACK

Mackie Samoskevich is ready to ramp things up.

Preparing for his first full season in the professional ranks, the 20-year-old forward dipped his toes into those waters at the end of last season. After signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers in May, the former Michigan Wolverine went on to record two assists in two games with Charlotte before adding four more helpers over seven games in the AHL playoffs.

Over his two NCAA seasons with Michigan, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound native of Newtown, Connecticut registered 72 points (30 goals, 42 assists) in 79 games. Following the end of Charlotte's playoff run, Samoskevich joined Florida's practice squad for the postseason.

A skilled playmaker and scorer, Samoskevich was the 24th overall pick in 2021.

BRADY GETS THE CALL

There's always a large group of undrafted players that score invites to camp.

This summer, one player in particular really sticks out.

Five years after discovering a cancerous tumor in his left shin, Owen Brady, who was once projected as a potential first-rounder in the OHL Draft, will be on the ice this week.

After the disease cost him two seasons, he played in the OJHL in 2021-22 and the CCHL in 2022-23. In 44 games with the Carleton Place Canadians last season, he logged 16 points.

"I'm obviously physically different," Brady told the Toronto Star in June. "I've grown since it happened. But emotionally, that's where the growing really happens. Physically, you go for bike rides, you run, that sort of thing. But mentally … there's times now where you can have fun, be human again."

For Brady, there will be no shortage of fun this week.