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Veteran Forward Signs With Defending Cup Champs

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Veteran forward Luke Kunin signs a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers. Kunin split last season with San Jose and Columbus. Through 75 games with the two clubs, Kunin scored 11 goals and 18 points, all with the Sharks. A former first-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2015, Kunin provides solid depth in the organization’s bottom six. The contract comes in at $775K.

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Early Playing Career

Luke Kunin spent his junior years in the US, performing well for the U.S. National Teams in the USHL in 2013-14 and 2014-15. He next played his development seasons with the University of Wisconsin, where he scored 70 points in 69 games across two seasons.

Kunin was then selected 15th overall by the Wild in 2015 and would debut with their AHL team, the Iowa Wild. He scored five goals and eight points through 12 games in 2016-17. Through 76 games with the Iowa Wild, Kunin scored 27 goals and 47 points.

NHL Playing Career

Kunin spent his career moving around the league. His first three seasons were spent with the Wild, where he scored 52 points through 131 games. He then signed with Nashville, spending the next two seasons with the Predators. Following a successful season where he scored 19 points in 38 games, his production faltered the next season, scoring just 22 points in 82 games in 2021-22.

This regression led Kunin to join the rebuilding San Jose Sharks, where he acted as a steadying two-way presence for the young squad. Through 171 games with the Sharks, Kunin scored 27 goals and 49 points. He was then traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets to close out the 2024-25 season, where his play faltered. Through 12 games, Kunin failed to produce any points, struggling on both ends of the ice on a slumping Blue Jackets squad. While Kunin showed early promise, the former first-round pick has struggled to live up to his potential. As the veteran centre signs in South Florida, Kunin will look to rehabilitate his play to cement his spot in the NHL.

Main Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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