FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers locked up 22-year-old forward Sandis Vilmanis to a two-year contract extension Wednesday, part of a roster-building blitz that also included long-term deals for defenseman Radko Gudas and center Eetu Luostarinen as NHL free agency opened at noon.

Vilmanis, a Latvian native who made his NHL debut last January, still has one year remaining on his entry-level contract; the new deal kicks in during the 2027-28 season, Florida Hockey Now reported. In 19 games with the Panthers last season, he scored three goals with five points. With AHL affiliate Charlotte, he was one of the Checkers’ scoring leaders, posting 17 goals with 38 points in 48 games.

The young forward’s stock rose sharply on the international stage. Before the Panthers sent him back to Charlotte last March, Vilmanis represented Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Following the Checkers’ early playoff exit last April, he rejoined the Latvian national team for the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships in Switzerland, where he led Latvia in scoring with 11 points, including four goals.

“It’s been a lot of emotions. Emotional whirlwind. It was a quick turnaround from going from Charlotte [in the AHL] to here and then to the Olympics. It’s just been an amazing month for me. The experience that I have right now is crazy and unbelievable,” Vilmanis said last February after returning from the Olympics.

The Vilmanis extension was one of at least five moves the Panthers made Wednesday. The club signed Gudas to a long-term deal and extended Luostarinen for eight years. Center Cole Schwindt, whom the Panthers did not give a qualifying offer — allowing him to become a free agent — returned on a two-year contract. Schwindt is expected to compete for the fourth-line center role, though veteran free agent addition Lars Eller will factor into that battle. Defenseman Donovan Sebrango, also not qualified, signed a one-year deal to stay in the organization. Mike Benning, another unqualified player, signed a one-year, two-way deal with Calgary.

Panthers Development Camp wraps up Thursday at the IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. The club’s preseason opens Sept. 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes, with training camp set for early to mid-September in Fort Lauderdale and the 2026-27 regular season beginning in late September.