The Panthers have signed heart prospect Gracyn Sawchyn to a three-year, entry-level contract, per a team announcement. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed.
Florida chosen Sawchyn, 19, late within the second spherical of the 2023 draft (63rd general). His unique signing rights had been set to run out on June 1, 2025.
Sawchyn, an Alberta-born pivot, will stay together with his junior membership, the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings, for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. The lanky 6’0″ ahead has eight targets and 12 assists for 20 factors in 12 video games this season, main them in scoring whereas additionally main them in PIMs (24) and tying for the workforce lead with a +5 ranking.
The Panthers drafted Sawchyn from the Seattle Thunderbirds, who traded him to the Oil Kings early final season. In Seattle, Sawchyn had 58 factors in 58 video games in his draft yr to assist spark the Thunderbirds to a WHL championship. Nevertheless, he was held with out a level in 5 Memorial Cup video games.
Of their draft-year scouting report of Sawchyn, Elite Prospects known as his recreation “not a posh one.” McKeen’s Hockey ranked Sawchyn because the No. 4 prospect within the Panthers’ system of their 2024-25 NHL Yearbook, calling out his “intriguing mix of ability and tenacity” whereas criticizing his nonetheless generally inconsistent manufacturing on the WHL stage. Within the early going this season, he’s quieted these issues. After enhancing his output to 1.19 factors per recreation final season from his point-per-game draft yr, he’s clicking at 1.67 factors per recreation in 2024-25.
Since Sawchyn is signing his entry-level contract at age 19 and doesn’t flip 20 till after January 1, his ELC is eligible to slip as soon as. He received’t play 10 NHL video games this season, so his deal will go into impact for the 2025-26 marketing campaign. He’ll turn into a restricted free agent upon expiry within the 2028 offseason.
