Gustav Forsling Becomes Biggest Waiver Claim – Hockey Writers – Florida Panthers

On Jan 9, 2021, the Florida Panthers announced that Gustav Forsling was waived by the Carolina Hurricanes. Waiver additions usually end up being depth pieces or minor contributors to the team, but the Panthers’ front office managed to get far more than the usual waiver claim. In Forsling, the Panthers found a defenseman who came to define their Cup season.

Before his NHL debut, Forsling appeared in two World Junior championships for his native Sweden and played for Linkopings HC in both the Swedish league and the Swedish Hockey League. He was drafted in the fifth round, 126th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks, and stayed in Sweden before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Adam Clendening. As an NHLer before arriving with the Panthers, he played a total of 122 games and registered 27 points. Before heading to South Florida, he struggled to become a full-time NHLer with stints with the Blackhawks, Rockford IceHogs, and Charlotte Checkers. Even as a player in the American Hockey League, he failed to reach the heights of success as an offensive player or the team success he eventually achieved with the Panthers.

Offensive Ability

Forsling, the first defensive blueliner to show his offensive prowess in a key game, has thrived in the Panthers’ system and is now a full-time player. He has recorded 193 points in 435 regular season games in five and a half seasons with the club, and 31 points in 84 playoff games thus far. In the 2023-2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was the leading scorer among the Panthers’ defensemen and was eighth on the team in points. He registered the expected rate of five or more goals in his full seasons with the Panthers.

Defense Ability

Forsling helped secure the team’s three straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances and two championships by logging 23 or more minutes per game in each of the playoff contests of 20 or more games. He also became the NHL’s plus/minus leader in 2023-2024, finishing with a plus-56 average. His plus/minus is the highest single-season average among defensemen in the post-lockout era.

He also registered more than 100 shot blocks in two separate campaigns as a member of the Panthers. In every full season he played, he had a 15 percent or higher defensive starting percentage while also registering 20 or more tackles in each of his 70 or more game seasons.

International Success

Forsling represents his country at the highest level of international hockey. He represented Sweden at both the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. He has played a key role for his native Sweden in both tournaments as a top-class player who aims to defend against the world’s best and add a devastating impact. He was one of the first six called up to Sweden for the 4 Nations Face-Off when the tournament roster was announced on June 28. In those two tournaments, he appeared in eight games and registered two points.

Prizes and Awards

Forsling finished ninth in the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the 2023-2024 campaign and 13th in the voting last season. In addition to his Norris nomination, he received votes for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, placing 23rd in the 2024-2025 season. That’s a long way to go, and the organization deserves credit for identifying his talent and integrating him into their organization and structure.

Forsling was rewarded for his play with an eight-year, $46 million contract extension through March 2024. That estimated $5.75 million ranks him 166th in the NHL in terms of annual average value. The price of that deal for what Forsling provided is a great piece of business for the Panthers front office and a move to be envied for years to come. And it leaves no question that it is one of the best withdrawal applications of all time.