Florida Panthers represented at NHLPA Rookie Showcase for first time since 2018

Some of the best and brightest NHL prospects came together this week for an annual fun photo op.

The 2024 NHLPA Rookie Showcase was held on Wednesday at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia.

It’s an event held every summer, just before the season, that gives Upper Deck the opportunity to take photographs and videos of some of the very best youngsters and top prospects while wearing their respective NHL teams’ uniforms.

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This year’s gathering was the 14th annual event, held every year since 2008 except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Representing the Panthers was 20-year-old defenseman Marek Alscher.

Selected in the third round (No. 93 overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft, is set to begin his professional career after signing a three-year, entry-level contract with Florida back in March of this year.

Alscher is coming off three standout seasons with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks in which he racked up 22 goals, 66 points, 158 penalty minutes and a plus-49 rating in 178 games.

The Czechian native of Kladno has participated in Florida’s past two development camps and will be at Panthers training camp when the rookies begin arriving in a couple weeks.

He’s eventually expected to start the season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

For Panthers fans, it was surely nice to see the team colors on the ice at the annual prospect showcase.

While Florida has had a good amount of success at the NHL level in recent years, the team’s prospect pipeline isn’t nearly as exciting.

The last time any Panthers players participated in the showcase was back in 2018 when Henrik Borgstrom received an invitation, and before that Lawson Crouse represented the Cats in 2016.

THN Washington’s Sammi Silber was at Wednesday’s showcase and was kind enough to snap a few photos of Alscher for us.

You can check them out in the gallery below, and read her coverage of the event by clicking here.