Alright, class, pay attention, because things are about to get interesting in the world of ice gladiators, a.k.a. hockey players. The Florida Panthers have decided to play musical chairs with their roster, and Mackie Samoskevich is the latest to take a spin. Surprise, surprise—he’s back in the NHL, folks! You may not know him yet, but this kid’s resume is more polished than your average TikTok influencer. Sniper extraordinaire Samoskevich got the call from the big league because George Richards tweeted, and when George tweets, we listen.
Now, everyone’s favorite fourth-line right-wing enfant terrible, William Lockwood, apparently couldn’t play nice, and the NHL put him in the naughty corner for three games. Bye-bye, Willie! Enter stage right: Mackie Samoskevich, potentially your new hockey crush—brace yourselves.
In the wake of Lockwood’s time-out and the Panthers playing yo-yo with Rasmus Asplund—sent him back to the AHL, if you’re keeping notes—there’s a void on the roster. Mackie the Knife, aged twenty-one, just might get a shot on the Panthers’ third or fourth-line right-wing. Oh, and did I mention, he’s a former University of Michigan standout? Yeah, forty-three points in thirty-nine games—I can’t even get that many likes on Instagram.
This rookie season as a pro, Mackie’s killing it in the AHL—eleven goals and twenty-six points in thirty-two games, folks. He’s a scoring machine waiting for his big break. And guess what? He hasn’t notched a single NHL point yet. I know, right? But with Lockwood on a timeout and this latest recall, I’d bet my bottom dollar our boy Mackie’s about to change that. Just don’t get too comfy, buddy—you might be back to the AHL faster than you can say “hat trick.” Keep your skates sharp and your sticks sharper!