Panthers Fortified Pipeline on Day 2 of the 2021 NHL Draft

The Panthers added a bit of everything to their pipeline on Day 2 of the 2021 NHL Draft on Saturday.
After landing a dynamic offensive talent in forward Mackie Samoskevich with the 24th overall pick in Round 1, the Panthers used their five selections on Day 2 to add defensemen Evan Nause (2nd round, 56th overall), Vladislav Lukashevich (4th round, 120th overall) and Braden Hache (7th round, 210th overall), forward Jakub Kos (6th round, 184th overall) and goaltender Kirill Gerasimyuk (5th round, 152nd overall).
Overall, Florida's balanced draft class consisted of two forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender.

"I just tell them to please enjoy the day and thank their families," Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said when asked about his message to the organization's latest draftees. "We all know the commitment that your parents, your brothers and sisters, the people that love you and are around you go through to get to this point. No one can do it alone. Welcome! Be excited! We're all here to support you now."
For the Panthers, that support begins right away.
When asked about the post-draft process, Zito said that all of the aforementioned draftees received phone calls from the Vice President of Player Personnel & Development Gregory Campbell and Director of Player Personnel Bryan McCabe not very long after they heard their names called on the television.
"We don't want to hit them with too much right away, but it's nice," Zito said with a smile.
Overall, Zito believes the Panthers added a good mix of both skill and character to their prospect pool.
"Look at our team," Zito said. "Night in and night out, the reason we have success - from Sasha Barkov] all the way down - is the character of the guys. You win as a team, and you win with character."
To read more on Samoskevich's skills and story, click **[HERE**.
To learn a bit more about all of the picks the Panthers made on Day 2, continue reading below.

Evan Nause (2nd round, 56th overall)

Position:D
DOB:Jan. 20, 2003 (White Rock, BC)
Height:6'2''
Weight:185 lbs.
Shoots:Left
2020-21 Team:Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
With their first pick on Day 2, the Panthers bulked up the back end of their prospect pool.
An excellent skater with a high hockey IQ, Nause led all rookie defenseman in the QMJHL with 22 points (four goals, 18 assists) in 32 regular-season games with the Remparts this past season. Also appearing in six games on the blue line during the playoffs with Quebec, he notched two points (one goal, one assist).
Internationally, he served as Canada Red's captain at the 2020 U17 World Hockey Challenge.
"Our guys were really happy that he was there," Zito said. "The skill and the skating and the sense, you kind of get the feeling that he has a lot of confidence with the way that he plays. He can move the puck, he can shoot, he thinks the game well. Even when I spoke to him, he seemed very at ease. He was so appreciative. He told me a couple of times that he was so happy to be a part of the Panthers."
In his post-draft interview, Nause shared that same excitement with the media over Zoom.
"I had multiple great meetings with [the Panthers]," said Nause, who was already sporting a new Cats-branded draft hat. "I knew they were reaching out to trainers, talking to past coaches. They definitely did their homework on me. I had my fingers crossed that I'd get picked by Florida."

Vladislav Lukashevich (4th round, 120th overall)

Position: D
DOB:May 23, 2003 (Magadan, Russia)
Height: 6'2''
Weight:159 lbs.
Shoots: Left
2020-21 Team:Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
A strong skater with good speed, Lukashevich has plenty of weapons in his arsenal.
This past season, the 18-year-old showed off his playmaking ability from the blue line by racking up 19 points in 36 games with Loko Yaroslavl in Russia's top junior league, the MHL. In addition to leading the team's defensemen in scoring, his 16 assists were tied for the most by a U18 rearguard in the MHL.
"Lukashevich's athletic tools stand out immediately and draw NHL teams to him as a prospect,"
The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in his draft recap.
"He's 6-foot-2 and a strong skater, with good speed and flashes of high-end skating with his edgework. He shows instances of NHL-quality skill and playmaking."
An effective puck-mover that skates up and down the ice with a purpose, Lukashevich helped Russia win a gold medal on the international stage at the 2019 U17 World Hockey Challenge after finishing second among the team's defensemen with four points (one goal, three assists) in six games at the tournament.
Moving forward, Lukashevich is expected kick off his third season in the MHL with Yaroslavl in 2021-22, but could earn a call-up to play for Lokomotiv in the KHL at some point if he continues to turn heads.

Kirill Gerasimyuk (5th round, 152nd overall)

Position:G
DOB:Aug. 22, 2003 (St. Petersburg, Russia)
Height: 6'2''
Weight:179 lbs.
Catches: Left
2020-21 Team: SKA-Varyagi im. Morozova (MHL)
After discovering Devon Levi in the seventh round in last year's draft, Roberto Luongo and the rest of Florida's innovative Goaltending Excellence Department possibly found another gem in Gerasimyuk.
Still only 17 years old, Gerasimyuk shined between the pipes this past season despite playing for one of the weaker teams in Russia's junior league, the MHL. Manning the crease for 27 games with SKA-Varyagi, he posted a 14-13-0 record, .931 save percentage, 2.59 goals-against average and four shutouts.
Earning a brief promotion to the VHL, he also went 2-3-0 with a .913 save percentage with SKA-Neva.
"He's a technical goalie, very competitive," Zito said. "He's very, very technical. If you talk to Roberto, that's probably the first thing he'll point to. He's very, very high on the way he thinks the game, the way he plays the game and the way he executes."
To put into context just how important Gerasimyuk was to SKA-Varyagi in 2020-21, the team owned a 14-13 record in games he started and a 11-26 record in games he sat. "Just about unbeatable on his glove side," according to EliteProspects.com, he also shows great rebound control and awareness.
Looking ahead, Gerasimyuk will have plenty of time to continue developing overseas as he works to eventually land a spot in the KHL. Having already won a silver medal as a backup at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship, he should also stay in the mix when it comes to Russia's national junior teams.

Jakub Kos (6th round, 184th overall)

Position:F
DOB: May 30, 2003 (Brno, Czech Republic)
Height:6'3''
Weight:187 lbs.
Shoots: Left
2020-21 Team: Ilves U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
Zito said Panthers director of European Scouting Jari Kekalainen "did a great deal of work" on Kos.
Despite being a native of the Czech Republic, the 18-year-old forward has actually spent the past two seasons climbing the junior ranks over in Finland. Hitting the ice for 32 games with Ilves U20 in SM-sarja this past campaign, he notched 18 points, including finishing tied for third on the team with 13 assists.
Internationally, he posted two points in five games with the Czech Republic at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship.
"He's a skilled forward," Zito said. "Two-way, I would say, more than just pure skill."
While he is considered a two-way player, Kos has also shown an ability to fill up the scoresheet. In 2018-29, he led the Czech Republic's U16 league in goals (47) and points (82) in 33 games for HC Kometa Brno.
Peering into the future, Kos is expected to return to Ilves for the 2021-22 season. And while he'll likely start off with the U20 squad again, there's also a chance he could make his debut in Liiga at some point.

Braden Haché (7th round, 210th overall)

Position: D
DOB: May 21, 2003 (Manchester, New Hampshire)
Height: 6'3''
Weight:201 lbs.
Shoots: Left
2020-21 Team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Hache didn't play this past season, but he did grow as a person - literally.
Benefitting from a growth spurt, the 18-year-old defenseman now stands at an imposing 6-foot-3 and 201 pounds. And while the OHL season being cancelled kept him off the ice in 2020-21, he showed a lot of promise during his debut season in 2019-20 when he recorded five points in 29 games with Kingston.
In 2018-19, he tallied two goals and nine assists in 26 regular-season games and three assists in seven playoff games to help the York Simcoe Express win a bronze medal in the Eastern AAA Hockey League.
"He's a steady, stay-at-home defensive defenseman," Zito said. "Our guys are pretty high on him."
As active as he is in the defensive zone, Haché is also aggressive when it comes to community work. And even though he couldn't play at all this past season, he still took home a trophy. Winning the 2020-21 Dayna Brons Honorary Award, he was the top "Hockey Gives Blood" ambassador on the Frontenacs.
With the OHL returning for the 2021-22 season, Hache will soon get back to work in Kingston.