Eetu Luostarinen

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Eetu Luostarinen
Eetu Luostarinen 2024 Training Camp.png
Luostarinen with the Panthers in 2024
Born (1998-09-02) 2 September 1998 (age 26)
Siilinjärvi, Finland
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Florida Panthers
KalPa
Carolina Hurricanes
National teamFlag of Finland.svg  Finland
NHL draft 42nd overall, 2017
Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career 2016present

Eetu Luostarinen (born 2 September 1998) is a Finnish professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the second round, 42nd overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2017 NHL entry draft. [1] Luostarinen won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Panthers in 2024 and 2025.

Contents

Playing career

Luostarinen began playing for KalPa after previously spending time in their junior teams, making his professional debut in the 2016–17 Liiga season. [2] During his rookie season, on 4 January 2017, Luostarinen was signed to a three-year extension to remain with KalPa through 2020. [3]

In the 2018–19 season, Luostarinen ranked tied for first in goals with 15 and finished second for KalPa with 36 points in 54 regular season games.

On 30 May 2019, Luostarinen left KalPa using his NHL out-clause to sign a three-year, entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. [4]

In the 2019–20 season, Luostarinen began his first North American season with the Hurricanes AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Showing early offensive potential with 7 points in 10 games, Luostarinen received his first recall to Carolina on 7 November 2019. [5] He made his NHL debut with the Hurricanes that day in a 4–2 defeat to the New York Rangers at the PNC Arena. [6] He registered his first point, an assist, in his third game during a 8–2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on 11 November 2019. [7] After 8 games with the Hurricanes, Luostarinen was returned to continue his season with the Checkers.

On 24 February, at the NHL trade deadline, Luostarinen was traded by the Hurricanes along with Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and Chase Priskie to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Vincent Trocheck on 24 February 2020. [8] He was immediately re-assigned to AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Luostarinen with the Panthers in April 2025 EetuApril25.jpg
Luostarinen with the Panthers in April 2025

On 18 August 2020, Luostarinen agreed to return to former Liiga club KalPa on loan until the commencement of the delayed 2020–21 North American season. [9]

On 17 January 2021, Luostarinen scored his first NHL goal, as well as his first multi-point game against Collin Delia of the Chicago Blackhawks, which broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the game winner. In his first season with the Panthers, he recorded 3 goals and 5 assists in 44 games, and did not play during the Panthers first round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

During the 2021-22 season, Luostarinen scored his first career overtime goal against Washington Capitals goaltender Vitek Veněček. In the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, he played all 10 games for the panthers scoring 1 goal and 1 assist. On 8 July 2022, Luostarinen signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Panthers. [10]

In the 2022–23 season, Luostarinen had a career high 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points, playing all 82 games and added 2 goals and 3 assists in 16 playoff games, with a multi-point playoff game against the Boston Bruins. He would miss the Stanley Cup Final with a broken tibia, suffered during game 4 of the conference final against Carolina. [11] On 25 July 2023, Luostarinen signed a three-year, $9 million contract extension to stay with the Panthers. [12]

On 30 December 2023, Luostarinen recorded his first career multi-goal game against the Montreal Canadiens. [13] Scoring 12 goals and 15 assists in 82 games, he added another 2 goals and 6 assists in 24 playoff games en route to his, and the Panthers, first Stanley Cup on 24 June 2024.

In 2024–25, Luostarinen scored 9 goals and 15 assists in 80 games. After the trade deadline, with the Panthers acquisition of Brad Marchand, would end up on a line with Marchand and Anton Lundell. Throughout the playoffs, this line continued to produce, [14] in which Luostarinen recorded a 4 point game in the series clincher vs the Lightning. [15] On 17 June 2025, he won the Stanley Cup for the second time, assisting on the series winning goal.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2016–17 KalPa Jr. A 231181949
2016–17 KalPa Liiga 32347141712314
2017–18 KalPaLiiga55614205861234
2017–18KalPaJr. A312325
2018–19 KalPaLiiga5415213679
2019–20 Charlotte Checkers AHL 448172524
2019–20 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 80110
2019–20 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL50000
2020–21 KalPaLiiga175101514
2020–21 Florida Panthers NHL4435812
2021–22 Florida PanthersNHL789172612101122
2022–23 Florida PanthersNHL8217264328162354
2023–24 Florida PanthersNHL82121527262426822
2024–25 Florida PanthersNHL809152428235141925
Liiga totals1582949781652324618
NHL totals37450791291067310243453
Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Slovakia

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2019 Finland WC Gold medal icon.svg40002
2025Finland 4NF 4th30110
Senior totals70112

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
Stanley Cup champion 2024, 2025 [16]

References

  1. "Hurricanes use all of their draft picks on day 2 of 2017 NHL Entry Draft". The Charlotte Observer. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  2. "Eetu Luostarinen at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com.
  3. "KalPa agree to contract extension with Eetu Luostarinen" (in Finnish). KalPa. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  4. "Canes sign Luostarinen to entry-level contract". Carolina Hurricanes. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  5. "Canes recall Eetu Luostarinen". Charlotte Checkers. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  6. "Lundqvist makes 45 saves, Rangers hold off Hurricanes". National Hockey League. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  7. "Hurricanes score eight, end winless streak". National Hockey League. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  8. "Panthers acquire Haula, Wallmark, Luostarinen, Priskie from Carolina". Florida Panthers. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  9. "Luostarinen returns to KalPa on loan!" (in Finnish). KalPa. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  10. "Florida Panthers Re-Sign Forward Eetu Luostarinen to a Two-Year Contract | Florida Panthers". www.nhl.com. 8 July 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  11. "Luostarinen set to make an impact after missing last year's Stanley Cup Final | Florida Panthers". www.nhl.com. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  12. "Panthers, Luostarinen agree to 3-year extension". ESPN.com. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  13. "Luostarinen's 1st multigoal NHL game lifts Panthers past Canadiens | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  14. read, David Dwork·3 min (20 May 2025). "Addition of Brad Marchand to Panthers' third line has set trio ablaze during Stanley Cup Playoffs". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 23 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. "Luostarinen has 4 points, Panthers eliminate Lightning in Game 5 of East 1st Round | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  16. Satriano, David (18 June 2025). "How Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were built". NHL.com. Retrieved 20 June 2025.