Veteran forward Tomas Nosek is set to play his first game of the season for the Florida Panthers as they lock horns with the New Jersey Devils in Newark on Tuesday, giving the team an important boost in the playoff race. He will face his former team New Jersey Devils, with whom he was associated in 2023, until he signed with the Florida Panthers in 2024.
According to Spotrac, Nosek signed a 1-year, $775,000 contract with the Florida Panthers in July 2025, again, with an average annual salary of $775,000 and a cap hit of the same amount. It is to be noted that Tomas Nosek is returning to the Panthers after suffering a knee injury in the offseason that required surgery and a long recovery.
Tomas Nosek returns after injury to Florida Panthers ahead of match against New Jersey Devils
To boost their forward lineup, veteran player Tomas Nosek is planning to make his return with a season debut against his former team New Jersey Devils, on Tuesday. Nosek, who was out from the team, will be making his season debut after suffering a knee injury during the offseason that required surgery and a lengthy recovery.
The Panthers announced his return on Monday, following a morning skate session ahead of their road game at the Prudential Center.
Earlier, he played a significant role in the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning campaign last year, when he appeared in 59 regular-season games and 16 playoff contests.
As per reports, he took line rushes at the morning skate with rookie Sandis Vilmanis and veteran A.J. Greer, and head coach Paul Maurice confirmed after practice that the center will be in the lineup against the Devils on Tuesday.
Reports suggest that Nosek is the second key player to return this week. Earlier, defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who suffered an upper-body injury, rejoined the lineup on Sunday against the New York Islanders. Moreover, Seth Jones and Jonah Gadjovich are on the trip and could play soon. At the same time, captain Sasha Barkov continues to work back from September’s knee surgery, and Cole Schwindt is out long term with a lower-body injury from last week’s win over Toronto.
Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers have only 22 games left in the regular season. Currently, they are just eight points behind a playoff spot in the Wild Card standings. To qualify for the postseason, they need to climb over the six teams that stand between Florida and a seventh consecutive postseason appearance.
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