Samoskevich signed a one-year contract extension with the Panthers for the league minimum salary. One thing is certain: Samoskevich took a discount to help the Panthers cap-wise for the next season. Posting 15 goals and 31 points in 72 games as a rookie, Samoskevich was trusted by the Panthers coaching staff and even had some powerplay time alongside Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart. He is also now a Stanley Cup champion, the only prospect from the Panthers to get his name etched onto the trophy. One thing to consider with this one-year extension is how Samoskevich will be offer-sheet eligible next summer and could be poached away from the Panthers for a team that can offer him a larger role and pay cheque. Overall, a fantastic year for Samoskevich and a contract that will give the Panthers the flexibility to give him a more fitting dollar amount next year.

Samoskevich is a gamer. He has earned the trust of Stanley Cup-winning coach Paul Maurice and has flourished in his role with the Panthers. Starting the year in the bottom-six, Samoskevich had to wait till mid-January to get his first game with over 15 minutes of ice time. Before then, he played under 10 minutes a night more often than not. Since the start of March, Samoskevich has been elevated to the top-six and has seen his production explode. With eight points in 11 games (60-point pace) and two of those games logging over 20 minutes of ice time, Samoskevich has established himself alongside the Panthers’ best players. He has also earned the chance to play on the Panthers’ top powerplay unit. Samoskevich is primed for a breakout year next season, and it would not be shocking to see him have multiple seasons over the point-per-game mark.

Samoskevich has been impressive thus far in the NHL. Samoskevich is in the top 10 for rookie scoring and getting consistent time on the Panthers’ power play through the season’s first quarter. He was recently assigned to the Charlotte Checkers, but this is more of a paper move, as Samoskevich is the only player on the roster who does not need waivers to be sent to the AHL. The Panthers called up Chris Driedger as Sergei Bobrovsky and his wife expect an addition to their family. As for his production, Samoskevich ranks seventh in points per 60 minutes on the Panthers lineup and third in power play points per 60 minutes. Excluding Tomas Nosek, who is not a regular contributor to the Cats’ power play, Samoskevich sits only behind Aleksander Barkov in that statistic. The early returns on Samoskevich look pretty exciting, and his elite playmaking capabilities have translated seamlessly to the NHL power play; it is only a matter of time till the rest of his game is there, too, as he earns a promotion to the top six.

Samoskevich, far and away the Charlotte Checkers’ best player last year. He led the team in goals and points, and it is easy to see why. Samoskevich’s dynamic play translated flawlessly from the NCAA to the AHL and even earned him two separate stints in the NHL, where he unfortunately went pointless. While not a “lock” to make the Panthers’ opening night roster, Samoskevich has quite a good shot at making it and will likely begin the year in the bottom six and on the second power play unit. Projecting more as a winger at the NHL level, Samoskevich has the highest upside of all the Panthers’ prospects at the moment and could one day play on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov. He should be lots of fun for years to come in Florida.

Samoskevich, 21, is still the same high-IQ playmaker with silky hands the Panthers drafted in the late first two years ago. But he has taken his offensive game to another level since then, dominating the college circuit alongside Adam Fantilli last year and taking the Checkers (AHL) on his back in 2023-24 as a rookie pro. His 0.81 points per game lead Florida’s farm team and slots in tenth overall amongst rookies league-wide. He is close to earning his first game in a Panthers sweater, though his -10 rating (tied for worst on the team) suggests he still has work to do regarding board play and strength conditioning.