MIAMI — Florida Panthers defenseman Gus Forsling will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night at LoanDepot Park as the Miami Marlins host Youth Hockey Night ahead of the Panthers’ upcoming season, Florida Hockey Now reported.
The cross-sport promotion comes as the Marlins take on the New York Mets and as the Panthers prepare for a training camp that opens Sept. 17 in Fort Lauderdale. Special ticket packages starting at $21.50 include a youth-sized Marlins hockey jersey, available in youth large only. Standard tickets for the game start at $6 on TickPick.
Forsling joins a growing list of Panthers players who have thrown out first pitches at Marlins games, including Matthew Tkachuk, Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues. The appearance signals the informal start of hockey season in South Florida, with Panthers rookie camp estimated to begin Sept. 13 in Fort Lauderdale.
The Marlins, who lost 7-3 to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, sit 3 games out of the final National League wild-card spot and remain in the playoff hunt as the regular season winds down.
The Panthers’ preseason opens Sept. 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes, with the 2026-27 NHL regular season opener set for Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. when Florida travels to Carolina. The home opener is scheduled for Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. against the Minnesota Wild. NHL free agency opened July 1.