BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Florida Panthers selected Simas Ignatavicius, a Lithuanian-raised defenseman born in Memphis, Tennessee, with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on Saturday.
Ignatavicius discovered hockey almost by accident — over pizza at a Lithuanian mall, one of the few places in the country with an ice rink.
“We only have maybe three or four ice rinks, and all the other rinks are inside malls,” Ignatavicius said. “I was just having a pizza with my dad one day [at the mall], and there was a practice going on. I saw, for the first time in my life, someone skating on [ice] skates and playing the puck. I was like, ‘I would like to try that.’ That’s how I started playing hockey. So, yeah, thanks to pizza.”
“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “I’m very grateful for this chance and opportunity.”
Ignatavicius, who goes by “Iggy” in the locker room, was born to Lithuanian parents in Memphis before his family moved back to Europe when he was only a few years old. His father, Mantas Ignatavicius, played professional basketball for roughly 15 years and initially brought his son along to basketball practices — but the younger Ignatavicius had other ideas.
“I’d bring him to practice,” Mantas said. “He’d say, ‘Hey, it’s too slow. I just want to go back to hockey.’”
At the age of 12, Ignatavicius received an offer to play hockey in Switzerland, a move that would require leaving home. His father put the decision squarely on his son’s shoulders.
“I had talked with my dad before signing the contract,” Ignatavicius said. “He looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Are you sure you want to do this? It takes a lot of sacrifice.’ I said yes right away. I didn’t hesitate. That’s when my dad knew I was serious about it.”
The Panthers will look to develop Ignatavicius within their prospect pipeline as the organization prepares for training camp later this year.