30 in 30: Panthers Prospects

NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 30 teams throughout August. Today, the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers have made good use of the NHL Draft to assemble a group of prospects who could help them take the next step.

A lot of those prospects have played key roles in turning the Panthers from a struggling franchise into a team that appears on the verge of contending for the Stanley Cup, but there could still be more help on the way.

Here are the Panthers’ top five prospects, according to NHL.com:

1. Michael Matheson, D

How acquired: Selected with No. 23 pick of 2012 NHL Draft

Last season: Florida: 3 GP, 0-0-0; Portland (AHL): 54 GP, 8-12-20

One year after ending his career at Boston College, Matheson, 22, made his NHL debut on Feb. 20 and was recalled from Portland of the American Hockey League again for the final game of the regular season. He was a healthy scratch for the first game of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Islanders, but played on the first defensive pairing with Aaron Ekblad by the end of the series.

Matheson followed that up by winning the best defenseman award at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, helping Canada win the gold medal.

Matheson (6-foot-2, 192 pounds) will come to training camp with the expectation of not only making the Panthers roster but that he could play a significant role this season.

“There were obviously high expectations,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “He finished his college career and then he comes to the American Hockey League and plays almost a full season, which is real good development for him, and then he comes to our team and he shows …

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