The Florida Panthers have secured a key piece of their Stanley Cup-winning core, signing center Anton Lundell to a six-year, $30 million contract extension. The deal, announced Wednesday, carries an average annual value of $5 million and keeps the 22-year-old Finn in Sunrise through the 2029-30 season.
"Anton has matured into a dependable multirole center for our club, who seized his opportunity from his first day in North America," said Panthers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito. "His commitment to improvement and cerebral approach to the game earned him the profound respect of his teammates and coaches, and we are excited to see him continue to grow and succeed with the Panthers".
Lundell's new contract ensures the Panthers retain all eight of their leading scorers from their championship-winning team. His importance to the team was evident in the playoffs, where he recorded 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 24 games. Notably, he led the Panthers with five assists in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. One of those assists set up Carter Verhaeghe's opening goal in Game 7, which the Panthers won 2-1 to clinch their first Stanley Cup.
Selected 12th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lundell has become a mainstay in the Panthers' lineup over the past three seasons. He has primarily played on the third line but has demonstrated the ability to handle top-line responsibilities when needed. Through 216 career regular-season games, Lundell has amassed 43 goals and 69 assists for 112 points, along with a plus-53 rating. In 54 career playoff games, he has added 6 goals and 22 assists for 28 points.
In the 2023-24 regular season, Lundell posted 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 78 games, along with a plus-19 rating and a career-best 54.9% faceoff win percentage. He also logged significant shorthanded ice time, further showcasing his versatility.
With Lundell locked in long-term, the Panthers have a solid core of players under contract through at least the 2029-30 season, including captain Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Gustav Forsling. Securing Lundell's future is a significant move for the Panthers as they aim to remain a top contender in the NHL.
The Panthers also finalized a one-year deal with veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt. Schmidt, 32, most recently played for the Winnipeg Jets, where he had some time under current Florida coach Paul Maurice. Zito said Schmidt is a veteran puck-moving defenseman who the team expects to seamlessly integrate with their style of play.
