Sandis Vilmanis Olympic call-up puts Florida Panthers prospects in the spotlight ahead of Milano Cortina 2026

In Charlotte, Vilmanis is stacking production like a guy who expects the puck. Through 31 AHL games, the 21-year-old has 8 goals, 11 assists, and 19 points, with four multi-point nights already.

That jump matters because it's translating into real opportunity, not just «nice season» talk. Latvia named Vilmanis to its Olympic roster for Milano Cortina 2026, and he'll be there alongside Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis.

I'll admit it, as a Panthers watcher, this is the kind of prospect news that actually feels tangible. When a kid turns AHL points into a national team call, it stops being theory and starts being pressure hockey.

Vilmanis was a 2022 fifth-round pick, 157th overall, and his game reads like a modern middle-six winger trying to force the coach's hand. He gets inside lanes, finds soft spots, and he doesn't need a perfect night to end up on the scoresheet.

On the junior side, Mads Kongsbak Klyvo gave Denmark real bite at the 2026 World Junior Championship. The 2025 fourth-rounder, 112th overall, served as an alternate captain and finished tied for Denmark's lead with three goals.

The loudest snapshot was Denmark's 8-4 relegation loss to Germany on January 2, when Klyvo posted two goals and an assist. Even in a tough result, that's a winger staying involved through chaos, which is a good trait to bet on.

Florida's pipeline isn't about hype right now, it's about translation. Vilmanis has an Olympic runway in February, and Klyvo already showed he can carry weight in a short tournament, so the next checkpoint is consistency back in pro habits.