Greatest Florida Panther From Each Country

Throughout their history, the Florida Panthers on the ice have seen players from 13 different nationalities. The Panthers have had Hall of Famers, as well as key members of their two-time Stanley Cup championship run and their recent stretch of success. As far as these nations go, an examination is required to determine who the best Panther is in each; the main consideration is their contributions as a member of the Panthers. 

Canada: Roberto Luongo

Canada’s representative on this list could go in several directions. However, despite all those viable options, the pick would have to be Panthers’ legend and goaltending stalwart, Roberto Luongo. Luongo exemplified the Panthers of that era; he was the backbone of the team and was easily the most iconic Panther of the pre-Cup era.

His accomplishments include enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, two-time All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, and Vezina Trophy votes. He played 572 games with the Panthers and holds the franchise record for wins and shutouts, and he has grown into a Panthers icon and legend during his two stints and now in his time as an executive. All these factors, the individual success and the way he’s synonymous with the franchise, make him the easy choice as the greatest Panther to represent Canada.

USA: Matthew Tkachuk

The USA selection on the list of the best American Panthers could come down to a few choices, but the choice ultimately would be Matthew Tkachuk. He was first and foremost a key cog in the two Stanley Cup championships and the other Stanley Cup appearance. He is also in the top 15 all-time in Panthers points, playing significantly fewer games than nearly everyone ahead of him. He also ranks third all-time in Panthers playoff points, bolstering his case as the best Panther from the USA.

Sweden: Gustav Forsling

The pick from Sweden of who the best Panther player is, one that doesn’t have a ton of contention, is Gustav Forsling. He was a key in anchoring the back end all the way to the ultimate prize twice. He did it with offensive production and defensive ability. In terms of regular-season offense, he is in the top 25 in points, and his playoff contributions bolster that. He adds on top of those two All-Star appearances and two top-15 Norris Trophy finishes. All these accolades, statistical success, and the winning on top of that ensure he’s the selection from Sweden.

Finland: Aleksander Barkov

The Finnish representative on this list could have gone either way. The option ultimately not chosen was Olli Jokinen, who is now third all-time in franchise points but lacks the playoff success that fellow Finnish sensation Aleksander Barkov had to put him over the edge. He currently sits first in franchise points, goals, and assists, adding to his playoff production by leading the franchise in assists and points on top of his playoff production that brought the Panthers all the way to the ultimate goal with Barkov as the captain.

He also boasts an impressive individual resume, highlighted by three Selke Trophies, one Lady Byng Trophy, and one King Clancy Trophy. All these notches in the column for Barkov with his offensive production, team success, and individual accolades leave no question that he’s the choice over Jokinen.

Russia: Sergei Bobrovsky

The Russian candidates for the spot on this list include two clear contenders, each with a valid argument. The one who ultimately didn’t get chosen was Pavel Bure; he certainly has a real claim due to his offensive prowess during his relatively brief stint as a Panther. In two of his full seasons, he registered 58 and 59 goals, respectively. He is also enshrined in the Hall of Fame, which would be difficult to pass up, but the other player who ultimately beat him out is Sergei Bobrovsky.

Bobrovsky backstopped the team to hoist Lord Stanley twice and one Final loss that wasn’t without its hiccups, but was undoubtedly a key force for them. He also boasts multiple All-Star appearances and two Vezina Trophies, although not with the Panthers, which still boost his resume. He also leads the franchise in playoff wins and shutouts all-time and is second in regular-season wins.

By many, Bobrovsky is regarded as a future Hall of Famer, and while Bure is already inducted, his team success, individual accolades, and franchise longevity make the former the best Panther from Russia in a long line of tremendous Panthers.

Slovakia: Robert Svehla

The choice for this list of the best Panthers from Slovakia isn’t exactly an array of trophy-winning options, but the choice is Robert Svehla, who had a lengthy and serviceable NHL career as a defenseman for the Panthers spanning from the 1994-95 season until the 2001-02 season, and finished his career the next season on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He contributed over 600 games to the Panthers and added an Olympic appearance to his resume. He was an effective and valuable defenseman for the team and the best Panther to don the Red, White and Blue of Slovakia.

Czechia: Tomas Vokoun

The Czech list of Panthers includes one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Czech player to ever grace the NHL in Jaromir Jagr; however, given his brief stint and the relatively modest amount of success he had as a Panther, the other choice is former Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

He spent four seasons backstopping the team from the 2007-08 season to the 2010-11 season, logging countless starts and playing the lion’s share of the games during that run. In his time with the Panthers, he finished ninth in Vezina Trophy voting during the 2008-09 season and 23rd in Hart Trophy voting during the 2009-10 season. He also made three trips to the All-Star Game.

Vokoun was a key piece for the Panthers of that era, despite it not leading to much team success; he more than did his part as a consistent source of saves. The resume and contributions illustrate why he should be the Czech player on this list.

Latvia: Sandis Ozolinsh

Germany: Marcel Goc

Germany’s representative on this list offers a few more options than some of the other nations, and the choice came down to one name: Marcel Goc. He is one of five German players to play for the Panthers, and as a Panther, he played 161 games, the second most of any stop in his career, and registered the most points of any stop in his lengthy career. He had two of his three seasons with 10 or more goals and contributed 20-plus points in two of those seasons as well.

Goc had a lengthy NHL career, with productive stops along the way, including a division-winning season in 2011-12. He also represented Germany on the international stage at the Olympics after his NHL career had wound down and he moved back to Germany to play. His tenure with the Panthers, especially in comparison to his fellow German Panther counterparts, makes this a runaway for him.

Switzerland: Denis Malgin

The hockey nation of Switzerland has had two of its representatives don the Panthers sweater; one in the crease and one up front. The top representative was forward Denis Malgin, who played in 184 games across four seasons. In those 184 games, he registered 28 goals and 32 assists, with a season high of 11 goals. He also appeared in two Olympics for his nation during his career. He had a productive tenure as a Panther and is certainly the best Swiss player to play in South Florida. 

Belarus: Ruslan Salei

The Panthers’ franchise history includes only one Belarusian player, out of 26 total in NHL history. The Panthers player on that list and thus the best Belarusian to ever play for the Panthers, is Ruslan Salei. He played a full season and a partial second season with the Panthers. In 147 games with the team, he recorded 55 points and was a key force on the team’s backend. In both seasons with the Panthers, he had 20 assists or more.

Upon the conclusion of his NHL career, he went to play in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and was unfortunately among those players on the Lokomotiv team that tragically passed in the plane crash. He had a lengthy NHL career and was a contributor on several teams, and his inclusion on this list as the best Belarusian Panther is easily explainable, especially as the highest-scoring Belarusian defenseman of all time.

Austria: Thomas Vanek

In franchise history, the Panthers have had only one Austrian make an appearance for the team, and he is widely regarded as the greatest Austrian NHL player of all time. The player up for nomination is Thomas Vanek. Vanek, as a Panther, was a trade deadline acquisition, making his way over from the Detroit Red Wings. He appeared in only 20 games and registered ten points during that stretch. He was much more of a journeyman at this time, but still contributed in some offensive capacity.

His career accolades include being a one-time All-Star, which certainly helps boost his resume. Although not with the Panthers, he is the only Austrian to ever play for the team, and certainly warrants it given all he accomplished both as a Panther and otherwise.

Ukraine: Alexander Godynyuk

The franchise history of the Panthers includes one Ukrainian player, who was on the original expansion-year team in the 1993-94 season. The player in question is Alexander Godynyuk, and he played 26 games during the franchise’s inaugural campaign. He registered ten points with zero goals and ten assists during that stretch. He played the beginning portion of the season with the team before ultimately being traded to the Hartford Whalers in a one-for-one deal for Jim McKenzie.

As the only Ukrainian to ever play for the Panthers, his contribution to the inaugural Panthers, helping to lay the foundation and groundwork for the next 31 seasons, proves why he appears on the list as the Panthers’ Ukrainian choice.

The Panthers’ 32 years of franchise history are filled with a variety of international success stories. The team had players all across the globe leave an imprint throughout the record books and on and off the ice. Canada is the most represented nation with 250 players, and Austria, Belarus, and Ukraine have one player to hit the ice. A variety of players warranted inclusion across these 13 nations and the franchise’s years of history; however, only this group was selected as the greatest Florida Panther from each country.