Florida Panthers: Jacob MacDonald’s Story Just Keeps Getting Better
After spending long stints in both the AHL and ECHL, Jacob MacDonald may have found new life in the NHL with the Florida Panthers.
At 25 years of age, Jacob MacDonald has been through it all to get to the top. A left-handed defenseman from Portland, Oregon, MacDonald was famously known for his time in the AHL.
But before even getting to the minors, Jacob spent time in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals. It’s with this club where he tallied 18G, 22A, and 40 points in 80 games, further making a name for himself.
Eventually, his outstanding play warranted him a one-game loan with the Springfield Falcons; although, his time there didn’t last long as he only competed in one game.
It was soon after where the American-born defenseman would return to where he started: back in the ECHL.
And while MacDonald was starting over again at level one, that didn’t stop him from reaching his goal. In 2016-17, playing for the Toledo Walleye (ECHL), MacDonald recorded 7G, 19A, and 26 points in 30 games.
Shortly after, MacDonald and the Albany Devils agreed to an initial tryout contract, where Jacob impressed and signed a deal for the remainder of the season.
In that same season, MacDonald produced 8G, 16A, and 24 points in 34 games, gaining a full season to compete in for the following year.
With the Binghamton Devils in the following season, MacDonald led the league’s defensemen with 20 goals and 55 points, named to the AHL All-Star Game in result.
MacDonald reached a pivotal part in his career when he signed his first NHL contract with the Florida Panthers on July 3, 2018, as a free agent.
Now, all he had to concentrate on was having a solid training camp to earn a spot on the Panthers’ roster. And needless to say, the 25-year-old did just that.
Before you know it, Jacob MacDonald was penciled in to start on opening night. To think, a kid who’s been back and forth between the ECHL and AHL has now garnished an opportunity to compete in the big leagues is absolutely incredible. That’s a story that not many can create, let alone live.
But MacDonald’s story didn’t stop there. In his NHL debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jacob went out and performed the unthinkable.
With loved ones watching in the stands, MacDonald recorded his first career NHL goal on his first shot in the league.
comes blazing down the wing and centers a pass between
legs, which reached the stick of MacDonald. Jacob moves in with the puck on his stick and wires a wrist-shot past the blocker of
, giving his side a 1-0 lead.
When asked to recollect his goal, MacDonald had the following to say:
"“I knew I scored when I didn’t hear the sound of the boards behind the net. It was kind of a screen shot. Their guy cut in front of me after I shot it, so I wasn’t sure right away where the puck went. But when you don’t hear the boards behind the net, you know. You get that feeling. In that split second, I knew it was in.”"
The goal itself meant a lot to him and his family, but young Jacob MacDonald recognizes that there’s still work to be done in the coming games.
"“It was a moment I’ll never forget. I can’t really describe it. It was just pure happiness in that moment. I’ve worked a long time. Obviously that work isn’t done, but that was a very, very cool moment. I was really happy that my family was there to experience it with me.“It’s one out of 82. I’m just focusing on Thursday now, getting back to work… I’ll remember that night forever, especially since my family was there. It was a lot of fun, but like I said, it’s about the next game now. Overall, other than not getting a win, it was pretty perfect.”"
Now with the Cats gearing up for their home opener on Thursday, Oct. 11 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, MacDonald will now feature in his 2nd career NHL match.
After a sour loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning, MacDonald and his teammates look to get back on track with a win on Thursday for the fans.
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Going back and forth between the ECHL and AHL, Jacob MacDonald has achieved his goal through hard work and dedication. While many like him don’t end up making it, MacDonald showed that if one perseveres through the toughest of times, just about anyone can reach their goal.