Gustav Forsling scores for Sweden and hits a rare Florida Panthers Olympic note

Sweden needed a steady hand early, and Forsling delivered with a goal that settled the whole vibe.

It’s not just “nice for him,” either. Panthers players don’t exactly pile up Olympic goals while wearing Florida colors.

A Panthers fan account pointed out this is only the second time it’s happened, with the other name being Olli Jokinen back in 2006.

Forsling’s goal came in Sweden’s Olympic game against Italy, after Italy briefly shocked everyone by scoring first.

Here’s the post that sparked the Panthers-history angle.

The Jokinen reference checks out as a real throwback, because he was Finland’s goal leader in Turin with six goals while captaining the Panthers in 2005-06.

That’s why this Forsling goal sticks. It’s not a stat that gets repeated often in Sunrise.

And it lands at the perfect time, because Forsling has been one of Florida’s most reliable answers during a season where injuries keep forcing lineup shuffles on the blue line.

He’s not the loudest defenseman on the roster. He’s the one who makes the next play possible.

Forsling’s current NHL line is 2-19-21, and he’s averaging 22:40 a night, which tells you exactly how much Florida leans on him.

Those are “keep the whole machine running” minutes, especially when pairings change and the margin gets thin.

For Sweden, he brings the same thing: clean exits, quick reads, and a game that doesn’t panic when the forecheck hits.

That translates at the Olympics, where one sloppy puck can turn into a whole period of stress.

A defenseman who can score is great. A defenseman who can settle a game is gold.

Forsling just did both, and it adds another small reason Florida should feel good about what it has on that back end.