Panthers re-up forward Lundell with long term extension

*Photo from The Hockey News*

   Another playoff performer is back in the fold. The Florida Panthers and forward Anton Lundell have agreed to a 6 year, $30 million contract, according to an announcement by the Panthers.

   Lundell became an RFA when the new league year started July 1, and the Panthers were able to lock him up with a deal that pays him $5 million annually through the end of the 2029-2030 season, when he can become a UFA. For this season, he gets a $2.5 million signing bonus.

   Entering the playoffs after a solid regular season, Lundell became a key contributor for the Panthers, as he was tied with Carter Verhaeghe for the most 5 on 5 points by a Panthers skater in the playoffs with 13. The signing does put them slightly over the cap, but they don't have to be cap compliant until opening night.

   Lundell enjoyed a productive season for the Panthers in a contract year last season. He potted 13 goals and added 22 assists for 35 points, averaging 15:23 of ice time per game to go with a +19 rating in 78 games. He added 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 24 playoff games.

   Florida GM Bill Zito said of Lundell "Anton has matured into a dependable multirole center for our club, who seized his opportunity from his first day in North America. 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."

   A first round pick of the Panthers in 2020, Lundell has 3 seasons in the league under his belt, debuting in 2021-2022. He has 43 goals and 69 assists for 112 points to his name, averaging 15:49 of ice time per game across 216 regular season games. He has an additional 6 goals and 22 assists in 54 playoff games.

   Despite losing Brandon Montour and Vladimir Tarasenko in free agency, the Panthers have re-signed Dmitry Kulikov and Sam Reinhart while also signing plenty of depth pieces like Nate Schmidt, Tomas Nosek, Jesper Boqvist, Adam Boqvist, AJ Greer, and goalie Chris Driedger.