With Matthew and Brady Tkachuk becoming teammates with the Florida Panthers this season, the organization expanded its set of brothers on Tuesday when the Charlotte Checkers signed Anton Lundell's younger brother, Kasper, to a one-year, two-way AHL contract. Although Kasper is a long shot to crack the NHL roster, he could get an opportunity to skate alongside Anton during training camp or the preseason.
The 22-year-old undrafted forward has been skating with HIFK in Finland’s Liiga, the country’s top professional hockey league, since 2023-24. In 101 games, Kasper has 16 goals and 26 points with 24 penalty minutes. In addition, he’s played with HIFK’s U20 team for the past four seasons, tallying 23 goals and 66 points in 78 games.
In Florida, his brother Anton is one of the core members of the Panthers’ current lineup. As a two-time Stanley Cup winner and recent World Champion, the 24-year-old was frequently mentioned in trade speculation throughout the spring as a young star the team could trade to complete a blockbuster deal. However, Florida said he was not available, as they view him as a future centerpiece of the team when its current veterans leave.
Anton is signed to a super team-friendly deal, with a $5 million cap hit through the 2029-30 season. Considering he’ll still be a couple of years shy of 30 when it expires, there’s a good chance that Florida locks him up to a max extension, ensuring he stays with the organization well into his late 30s. Whether Kasper remains in North America long enough to realize the dream of skating with his brother will depend on how he develops in Charlotte. If he makes the most of his opportunity, then Panthers fans could eventually see another pair of brothers sharing the ice at Amerant Bank Arena.
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