FORT LAUDERDALE - Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice is handing 22-year-old Sandis Vilmanis a third-line spot alongside Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen to open the 2026-27 season, betting the Latvian forward’s breakout AHL campaign has him ready to stick in the NHL, Florida Hockey Now reported.
Vilmanis enters training camp after posting 17 goals and 38 points in 48 games with the AHL Charlotte Checkers, numbers that followed a 19-game NHL stint in which he scored 3 goals with 5 points. With Brad Marchand sidelined for at least the first month of the season, Vilmanis moves into a prominent role earlier than many anticipated.
“I think he is a top-9 player all day long,” Maurice said. “We don’t have to wait three years for him to be impactful. Sandis can come out and be really strong defensively right from the get go. He’s got enough in his game right now for me to just play him. As long as he stays focused on that and not points, which will come, I have a lot of faith in that young man.”
Maurice explained why the Panthers kept Vilmanis in Charlotte late last season rather than recalling him when injuries mounted, saying the meaningful games in the AHL served a purpose. “He was playing right and meaningful games,” Maurice said. “They were important games. That trains him mentally. He was also playing against his peers so it was good for his confidence to get those big minutes. I thought that was more important.”
Vilmanis, who also made his Olympic debut with Latvia and led his country in scoring at the IIHF World Championship last season, said the accumulated experience sharpened his game. “Last year was an awesome year, a lot of great experiences,” he said after practice Wednesday. “I got really good feedback from the coaches, from the staff, and that just builds up the confidence.”
Lining up beside Lundell and Luostarinen has not gone unnoticed by the young forward. “It is awesome because they are unbelievable players,” Vilmanis said. “From their skating to their IQ game, the shots and the smoothness in their game, is just unbelievable. I am super grateful and it is an amazing opportunity.”
The Panthers open the 2026-27 regular season Tuesday at the Carolina Hurricanes at 5 p.m. on ESPN. The home opener at Amerant Bank Arena is Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild at 6 p.m. on Scripps.