Luostarinen signs 8-year contract with Panthers

Eetu Luostarinen signed an eight-year contract with the Florida Panthers on Wednesday that begins in 2027-28. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 27-year-old forward, who won the Stanley Cup twice with the Panthers in 2024 and 2025, has one season remaining on a three-year, $9 million contract ($3 million AAV) he signed on July 25, 2023.

“It’s a great, great deal," Luostarinen said Thursday. "I’m really excited to be a Panther for such a long time. … I think we’ve been such a competitive team for long already and we’ve got a lot of pieces locked in, so I think we’re going to be up there for a lot more years so it’s good.”

Luostarinen had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 73 games with the Panthers last season.

“A key piece of our two Stanley Cups, I am thrilled that Eetu will continue his career with the Panthers,” Florida general manager Bill Zito said. "A consummate professional who is committed to being a difference maker at both ends of the ice, his work at even strength and on the penalty kill is critical to our team success in South Florida."

Selected by Florida in the second round (No. 42) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Luostarinen has 162 points (61 goals, 101 assists) in 447 regular-season games and 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) in 73 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

It's the latest move in what has been a busy offseason for the Panthers. On Tuesday, they acquired goalie Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils for forwards Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and Ben Steeves. Florida also received forward Angus Crookshank. And on Monday, Florida acquired defenseman Radko Gudas from the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman A.J. Greer. 

The Panthers also acquired forward Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators on June 21 for two first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft (Nos. 9 and 25), a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a conditional first-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft. The deal reunited the former Senators captain with his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, after Florida (40-38-4) finished seventh in the Atlantic Division and missed the playoffs coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.

"The guys know everybody is so good and whoever comes in they’re welcomed with open arms and it’s really easy to join the team," Luostarinen said. "Everybody takes care of each other. It’s just kind of a relief to get a deal like that and just to know your future a little bit longer than just a year or two in advance. So yeah, super excited. Can’t wait to get things started again this year.”

Forward Garnet Hathaway was sent to Florida by the Philadelphia Flyers on June 25 with a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft for a fifth-round pick in 2026 and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Florida also traded forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken on June 21 for a first-round pick in 2026 and a conditional 2nd-round pick in 2027.

NHL.com senior writer Amalie Benjamin contributed to this report