- Florida re-signed defenseman Mikulas Hovorka to a one-year, two-way contract for 2026-27
- The 25-year-old made his NHL debut last season, playing four games during Florida’s injury crunch
- Read below for Hovorka’s numbers and where he fits on the Panthers blue line
The Panthers are hanging onto one of their big-bodied depth defensemen. Florida agreed to terms with Mikulas Hovorka on a one-year, two-way contract Wednesday, the team announced.
His new deal pays $850K at the NHL level and $100K in the minors, per PuckPedia. Hovorka was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights before putting pen to paper.
Here’s the club confirming the deal:
Hovorka isn’t a household name, but he’s tough to miss on the ice at 6-foot-6 and 229 pounds. The 25-year-old came over from Czechia, where he suited up for HC Motor Ceske Budejovice in the Extraliga before signing with Florida as an international free agent.
Last year was his second in the organization. He spent most of it with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, posting five goals and 18 points in 57 games with a plus-23 rating.
The injuries stacking up in Florida got him his first taste of the NHL. Hovorka played four games with the Panthers, picked up one assist, and averaged just under 15 minutes a night.
Assuming Florida stays healthier this time around, Hovorka will likely open the season back in Charlotte. If the blue line takes another beating, he’s one of the first names in line for a call-up.
Florida has spent the offseason tinkering around the edges of a roster still built to contend. Hovorka is cheap insurance and a 6-foot-6 body the Panthers are happy to keep stashed in Charlotte.
