Panthers assistant coach talks Gustav Forsling’s reaction to facing off against Connor McDavid

Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in the Stanley Cup Finals. In the series, Gustav Forsling was one of the best D-man holding the ground for the Panthers against the Oilers.

In a recent episode of The Cam & Strick Podcast, Florida assistant coach Jamie Kompon talked about Gustav Forsling’s competitiveness.
“The best-kept secret, I think, in the NHL—or the worst-kept secret—is Gustav Forsling.” Kompon said. “Yeah, this guy’s a machine. He is absolutely picked up on waivers. He is a defensive defenseman that’s got the ability to jump up in the play…He’s an unbelievable skater.”

Kompon shared a story about Forsling’s mindset in the series, especially against Connor McDavid, the Oilers’ star forward. Despite McDavid’s attacks, Forsling kept his competitive edge.
“We said to him at the end of the series, ‘You know, you were only minus two in chances’ ‘What do you mean against McDavid? minus two, that’s no good. I want that recounted.’ Like, he goes, ‘He didn’t get the better of me. I got the better of him.'” Kompon added.

Facing the Oilers’ offense, particularly in Games 4, 5, and 6 was a struggle for the Panthers. The Oilers scored a total of 18 goals and Florida was able to score only 5 goals in the span of those three games. This helped them push for a Game 7.Connor McDavid was leading the Oilers’ charge with two consecutive four points night in Games 4 and 5. It looked like the Panthers had no other option in defense. But throughout the series, Forsling had a plus-minus of -2. He received 6 chances in minus and 4 chances in plus. Forsling also contributed two assists in the series.

“Like, you know, that’s Fors. ” Kompon said. “He’s a low-maintenance guy, but he is such a dream to coach because he just wants to be the best.”

On Tuesday, the Florida Panthers signed defenseman Adam Boqvist to a one-year contract. Bill Zito, the team’s President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, announced the deal.Boqvist played 35 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, scoring 10 points. He has five NHL seasons under his belt, split between Columbus and the Chicago Blackhawks, tallying 85 points in 209 games.

Originally from Falun, Sweden, Boqvist earned OHL Second All-Star Team honors in 2018-19 with the London Knights. He led the team in assists. Before joining North America, he played in Sweden’s SHL and junior leagues. Boqvist also represented Sweden in international competitions, winning bronze at the U18 World Championship and the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.Boqvist was drafted eighth overall by the Blackhawks in 2018. His brother, Jesper, signed with the Panthers on July 1.