Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen spoke to the media for the first time after inking a new eight-year, $40 million contract.
Luostarinen said he's grateful and ready to take the ice.
WPTV anchor and Panthers 360 Host Mike Trim connected with Luostarinen during his media availability Thursday morning.
The 27-year-old has been a key part of the Panthers' two Stanley Cup championship teams.
In seven NHL seasons, Luostarinen has scored 61 goals and notched 101 assists.
He was also a member of the 2026 Milan Olympic bronze medal Finland team, which included fellow Panthers Niko Mikkola and Anton Lundell.
A healthy Panthers squad has him excited about this upcoming season.
"I'm really excited to be a Panther for such a long time. I think for those long runs we've been such a competitive team for a long time already, and we've got a lot of pieces locked in," Luostarinen told Trim.
Financial terms of the new eight-year contract have not been publicly disclosed yet.
The Panthers start their preseason Sept. 20 at Amerant Bank Arena against the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.