Panthers claim D Gustav Forsling off waivers from Hurricanes

SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has claimed defenseman Gustav Forsling off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. He is expected to join Florida’s training camp.

Forsling, 24, appeared in 57 regular season American Hockey League games (AHL) with the Charlotte Checkers in 2019-20, producing 26 points (8-18-26). He ranked third among Checkers defensemen in points.

Originally selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round (126th overall) of the 2014 National Hockey League Draft, Forsling has played in 122 career regular season NHL games, all with the Chicago Blackhawks (2016-17 to 2018-19), recording 27 points (8-19-27).

Prior to playing in North America, the 6-foot, 186-pound native of Linköping, Sweden played for the Linköping HC organization including two professional seasons in the Swedish Hockey League. As a junior player in 2015-16 with Linköping HC J20, Forsling was named best defenseman and Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year.

On the international stage, Forsling represented Sweden at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, Forsling led the tournament’s defensemen in goals (3), assists (5) and points (8) and in 2016 tied for the lead among the tournament’s defensemen in goals (2).