Gustav Forsling honored with Guldpucken as Sweden’s top hockey player - MASHAHER

Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling has arrived.

It’s amazing how much things have changed in the 3½ years since he was placed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes.

In that time, Forsling has quietly been earning respect across the league with his amazingly consistent play at both ends of the ice, but particularly in the defensive end.

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His ability to shut down opposing players, regardless of who they are, and gobble up valuable minutes without breaking his stride has been a treat to see blossom over the past few seasons.

On a list that includes the Matthew Tkachuk trade and targeting a relatively unknown Carter Verhaeghe when he first hit the open market, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito snagging Forsling off the waiver wire is right up there with the many home runs he’s hit since being hired to head Florida’s front office in September of 2020.

Now, Forsling finds himself among hockey’s elite.

Top pairing minutes and responsibilities? Check.

Norris Trophy votes? Check.

Stanley Cup? Check.

Max contract extension? Check.

Guldpucken? Check.

Wait, what?

We may not be familiar with the Guldpucken (which translates to Golden Puck), but it’s given out every year by the Swedish Hockey Association to the best Swedish hockey player from the previous season.

This year, that man was Forsling.

“It’s a huge honor and it sounds unreal when you say, ‘Sweden’s best hockey player,’” Forsling said, per the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. “It’s very prestigious, especially when you look at those who have won the prize before.”

The Guldpucken has been awarded annually since 1956 and began including Swedish NHL players in 2014-15. Winners are selected by Expressen, a national publication in Sweden, and the Swedish Hockey Association.

Recent winners include Erik Karlsson, Gabriel Landeskog and Victor Hedman.

It caps off quite a year for Forsling, who, in addition to the aforementioned Stanley Cup win and 8-year contract extension, has also wed his longtime partner Daniela and saw the couple welcome their first child, Bo, all in the past 13 months.

For Forsling, who is known as one of, if not the physically fittest man in Florida’s locker room, it’s certainly seems the sky is the limit.

The way things have been coming up aces for Gus, it might behoove Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice to give Forsling as much ice time as possible.