Former Canucks prospect receives massive honour in his home country

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Cooper Godin
August 14, 2024 (2:34 PM)

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A former Vancouver Canucks prospect has received a massive honour in his home country of Sweden this week.

It's been quite the year for former Vancouver Canucks prospect Gustav Forsling from winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers back in June and is now receiving a massive honour from the Swedish Ice Hockey Association.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Gustav Forsling was the 2023-24 recipient of the Guldpucken, which is handed out annually to the top hockey player from Sweden. The winner is voted on by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association, as well as Expressen.

"Fresh off helping the Florida Panthers capture their first-ever Stanley Cup in June, the smooth-skating defenseman was recently awarded with the Guldpucken (Golden Puck), which has been given out annually since 1956 to the top hockey player from Sweden." The Panthers said in a post on their website on Tuesday.

Forsling, 28, had another strong season and his play carried over into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs where he led all Florida Panthers defencemen in points with 13. During the regular season, Forsling had 39 points (ten goals, 29 assists) in 79 games.

The Linkoping, Sweden native was originally drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round in 2014. Less than a year after being drafted, Forsling's time with the Canucks organization came to an end as he was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Adam Clendening.

This is a massive honour for Gustav Forsling, especially when considering that he's only the third defenceman to win the award since 2015-16, joining Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman, two of the best blueliners to ever come from Sweden.

Source: Florida Panthers
Forsling wins Goldpucken as best Swedish hockey player in 2023-24