Jonah Gadjovich ‘Waited His Turn,’ Made Impact for Florida Panthers in Playoff Debut

After watching the 2024 Stanley Cup run from the press box — and welcoming new twins in the middle of it — Jonah Gadjovich finally got a chance to make an impact in the postseason.

SUNRISE, Fla. — Jonah Gadjovich watched and waited patiently during the Florida Panthers’ run to the 2024 Stanley Cup.

The gritty, physical winger found himself as the odd man out in the forward group after the team acquired Kyle Okposo and Vladimir Tarasenko at the trade deadline — the same day he agreed to a two-year contract extension.

“He waited his turn,” coach Paul Maurice said. “He is a great guy in the room, just a wonderful man, and he waited his turn.”

After supporting his team through the 2024 playoffs— and his wife through the birth of their twins last May — Gadjovich finally got called into his first playoff game as the Panthers looked to cut into their two-game, second-round series deficit tot he Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.

“I was super excited,” said Gadjovich, who learned he would be drawing into the lineup Maurice on the team’s plane ride back to South Florida after its 4-3 Game 2 loss in Toronto.

“First playoff game, I didn’t want to be anything that I’m not. I just wanted to come in, play hard, play physical, do what I do and get the win.”

He did just that.