Panthers Agree to Terms with Eetu Luostarinen on Contract Extension

SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Eetu Luostarinen on a three-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season.

"Eetu is a dynamic two-way center whose speed and strength allow him to excel on any line," said Zito. "His consistency and dependability are a great asset to our forward group, and we are excited about what he can continue to bring to our lineup in the coming seasons."

Luostarinen, 24, set career highs in goals (17), assists (26), points (43) over 82 games played with Florida during the 2022-23 season, and was tied for second among Panthers skaters with a plus-19 rating. In the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, Luostarinen accumulated five points (2-3-5) in 16 games, including scoring the game-winner in game six of the opening round vs. Boston.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound native of Siilinjarvi, Finland has skated in 212 career NHL games between Carolina (2019-20) and Florida (2020-21 to 2022-23), amassing 78 points (29-49-78). He also produced 25 points (8-17-25) in 49 career American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Charlotte Checkers (2019-20) and Springfield Thunderbirds (2019-20).

Prior to his professional career in North America, Luostarinen spent three seasons (2016-17 to 2018-19) in Finland with KalPa (Liiga). He appeared in 141 games, collecting 63 points (24-39-63). Luotarinen won the Spengler Cup with KalPa in 2018.

On the international stage, Luostarinen won gold with Finland at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.

Originally selected by Carolina in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Luostarinen was traded to Florida by Carolina on February 24, 2020.

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