The Florida Panthers have recalled forwards Jesse Puljujarvi and Rasmus Asplund, as well as defenseman Matt Kiersted, per the AHL Transactions Log and PuckPedia. This move returns Asplund and Puljujarvi to the NHL ranks for the first time since January, and marks the first call-up of Kiersted’s season.
This is a familiar pattern for Kiersted, who’s spent the last four seasons as one of the top defenders on Florida’s call-up sheet. He hasn’t stepped into the NHL lineup since the 2022-23 season – when he recorded four points, six penalty minutes, and a plus-four across 20 games. Those marks brought Kiersted’s career totals up to six points, 10 penalty minutes, and a minus-eight in 37 games and three seasons in the NHL. He’s found much better footing as a sturdy and physical defensive-defenseman in the minor leagues. Over parts of four seasons, Kiersted has totaled 83 points, 199 penatly minutes, and a plus-54 in 232 AHL games. He’ll offer an alternative to Jaycob Megna, who’s stepped onto Florida’s bottom pair for the last two games.
For Puljujarvi and Asplund, a call-up to Florida is still a new experience. Aslpund signed a one-year, league-minimum contract with Florida this summer after joining the team at the 2024 Trade Deadline. He’s only appeared in two NHL games this season, with no notable stat changes. Asplund’s impact has been felt far more in the minors, where he’s totaled 42 points and 21 penalty minutes in 62 games. He ranks third on the Charlotte Checkers in scoring.
Puljujarvi joined the Panthers organization on an AHL contract this February, after being released by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He scored three points in his first seven games with the Charlotte Checkers – enough to earn a two-way NHL contract in early March. With just a handful of games left in the season, Florida will now take advantage of that two-way deal and award Puljujarvi with his first call-up. Should he get a run at icetime, Puljujarvi will be looking to build on the measly nine points he scored in 26 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this season. The former fourth-overall pick has recorded 127 points in 382 games, and eight seasons, in the NHL.
Florida doesn’t have any lineup holes to promote their recalled forwards into, but the pair will offer a boost of scoring to the Panthers depth. No player on Florida’s fourth-line – consisting of A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek, and Jonah Gadjovich – has managed more than one point over their last 10 games.