Forsling also made a name for himself on special teams.

He helped the Panthers finish the regular season with a sixth-best penalty kill rate in the NHL at 82.5%, leading the team with 269:54 of short-handed ice time. In the playoffs, he skated an additional 76:32 in penalty kills, which led the Panthers once again.

Forsling has been nothing short of phenomenal since arriving in Florida just before the start of the 2020-21 season, despite only recently receiving the national recognition he has long deserved.

He has scored at least 10 goals and 37 points in each of the last three seasons.

Looking to secure that production long-term, the Panthers signed Forsling to an eight-year contract extension in March.

“Gustav has developed into one of the most complete defensemen in the National Hockey League during his four seasons in South Florida,” said Panthers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito. “His career is an example of how far hard work and a complete dedication to improvement can take a person. We are proud that Gustav will remain a Florida Panther.”

GREAT STATISTICS

There was no one with more green than Forsling during the 2023-24 season.

He led the NHL in scoring and set a franchise record with a +56 plus/minus rating, becoming one of four currently active NHL defensemen to finish the season with at least a +50 rating.

It was also the highest rating by a defenseman since Detroit’s Vladimir Konstantinov’s +60 in the 1995-96 season.

“He leads the league in plus/minus,” Maurice said. “People will say, ‘Maybe that stat doesn’t matter.’ He’s playing against the other team’s best every night. That matters.”

Forsling ranks second in the NHL with a +133 rating since being picked up off waivers by the Panthers in 2019, which ranks him behind only Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews’ +148.

“Everything is going really well,” Forsling said of his breakthrough with Florida.

BEST GAME

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better defensive play in the playoffs.

Forsling, who helped the Panthers take a 2-1 series lead over the Bruins in Round 2, was a beast on the defensive end in a crucial 6-2 win at TD Garden on May 10.

When he was on the ice 5-on-5, the Panthers held huge advantages over Boston in many key statistics, including shot attempts (27-6), shots on goal (14-2) and scoring chances (8-0). When he was deployed, the Bruins also had zero high-danger shot attempts.