Luostarinen signs 8-year contract with Panthers; pact begins in '27-'28

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.

“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."

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

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 1st-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft (Nos. 9 and 25), a 2nd-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a conditional 1st-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.

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.