The Florida Panthers agreed to terms with forward Samu Salminen on a two-year, entry-level contract, the club announced Sept. 20, 2026. The 23-year-old forward joins Florida after helping the University of Denver win an NCHC title and a national championship in 2025-26. President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito announced the agreement.
Salminen recorded a career-high 11 goals and 29 points, including 18 assists, in 43 games for Denver during the 2025-26 season. He served as an alternate captain and led the team with 376 faceoff wins at a 54% rate. Zito said Salminen played a significant role in Denver’s national championship season.
“Samu is a reliable playmaking forward who played a significant role on Denver’s national championship team,” Zito said. “We are looking forward to his growth within our organization as he begins his professional career.”
Salminen brings college production to Florida
The 6-foot-2, 186-pound forward completed four NCAA seasons between the University of Denver and the University of Connecticut. He totaled 91 points on 37 goals and 54 assists in 149 college games. Salminen played for Denver from 2024-25 through 2025-26 and for Connecticut from 2022-23 through 2023-24.
Before beginning his NCAA career, Salminen played for Jokerit’s U20 team for parts of four seasons from 2019-20 through 2022-23. He recorded 94 points on 36 goals and 58 assists in 85 games. Salminen served as the team’s captain in 2021-22.
International experience and draft history
A native of Helsinki, Finland, Salminen represented Finland as captain at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship. He led the team with seven goals and totaled nine points in seven tournament games. The New Jersey Devils selected Salminen in the third round, 68th overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft.
His contract with the Florida Panthers follows a championship season at the University of Denver and adds a forward with NCAA, international and junior-level experience to the organization. Salminen’s 2025-26 production and faceoff work were among the defining parts of his final college season.
FSB Take
Salminen enters the Florida Panthers organization after contributing to a national championship team at the University of Denver. His 29 points, 376 faceoff wins and alternate-captain role provide a verified snapshot of his 2025-26 season. The two-year entry-level contract begins the next stage of his professional career in Florida.
Source: Original report