Former IceHogs to Battle for Stanley Cup

Two former IceHogs will take the ice in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Sam Carrick (left) will represent the Edmonton Oilers, and Gustav Forsling (right) will skate for the Florida Panthers in the upcoming battle for the Stanley Cup with Game 1 of the Final starting on Saturday, June 8.

With a player on each side, there is a strong possibility that one of the two will become the 40th IceHogs alumnus to have his name etched on the Stanley Cup.

To qualify for having their name on the Stanley Cup, a player must have appeared in at least 41 regular-season games with a team, or one Stanley Cup Final game. Carrick only appeared in 16 regular-season games with the Oilers, and thus must play at least once in the Final to be eligible. Forsling played 79 regular-season games with Florida and therefore is already eligible.

Carrick, 32, has recorded one assist in nine 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff games this spring. The pivot notched five points (2G, 3A) in 16 regular-season contests with the Oilers following a three-way trade between Edmonton, the Anaheim Ducks, and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Mar. 6.

The forward played in 57 games with Rockford during the 2016-17 campaign and tabbed 28 points (11G, 17A) to go along with 85 penalty minutes. Carrick's lone season with the Chicago Blackhawks organization came after four seasons in the Toronto Maple Leafs' system and before a stint lasting parts of eight seasons with Anaheim and their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Carrick was traded from Chicago to Anaheim on Mar. 1, 2017 along with Spencer Abbott in exchange for Kenton Helgesen and a 2019 seventh round pick (Cole Moberg).

Forsling, 27, has emerged as one of the most versatile defenseman in the NHL and holds 11 points (4G, 7A) in 17 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs so far. The Swede racked up 39 points (10G, 29A) in 79 games with the Panthers during the regular campaign and his +56 rating led the league by 10.

The rearguard skated three seasons in Rockford from 2016-17 to 2018-19. In that span, he saw action in 53 games and registered 15 points (3G, 12A). He also spent significant time with the Blackhawks and totaled 122 NHL appearances with Chicago to go along with 27 points (8G, 19A) during those three seasons.

Forsling had his RFA rights traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on June 24, 2019 along with Anton Forsberg in exchange for Calvin De Haan and Aleksi Saarela. Forsling then went on to sign back-to-back one-year deals with Carolina before Florida claimed him off waivers on Jan. 9, 2021. He has spent the last four seasons in Florida and is currently on contract with the Panthers through 2032.