Florida Panthers sign Gus Forsling to an Eight-Year Contract Extension

FORT LAUDERDALE — Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito told reporters that the team agreed to an eight-year contract extension with star defenseman Gus Forsling.

Per Elliotte Friedman, the contract will carry an annual cap hit of $5.75 million.

The new contract will kick in during the 2024-25 season.

Forsling, 27, developed into a bonafide top-pairing defenseman since getting claimed off waivers by Florida in 2021.

He has 37 goals and 126 total points with a plus/minus of +120 in 258 games as a Panther.

Forsling made the full-time jump to Florida’s top pair at the start of the 2022-23 season when the team traded MacKenzie Weegar while shouldering No. 1 defenseman minutes while Aaron Ekblad spent time on injured reserve.

In those two seasons, Forsling has 22 goals and 72 points in 144 games with a plus/minus of +62.

This season, Forsling has nine goals and 31 points in 62 games.

Zito also said the team agreed to a two-year contract extension with Jonah Gadjovich on Thursday morning.

Gadjovich joined the team on an AHL contract while rehabbing an injury during training camp.

He earned himself an NHL deal and promptly carved out a role on the team’s fourth line in his first year on the team.

He has two goals and four points in 33 games this season.

Gadjovich, 25, has six goals and 14 points in 112 NHL games spending the previous three seasons of his career with the San Jose Sharks.

This is a developing story which will be updated when new information becomes available.