Sandis Vilmanis had a stellar pre-season prior to the 2024-25 season and followed it up with a strong AHL rookie campaign. And now the Florida Panthers prospect stood out at this year’s rookie camp.
Vilmanis played in three pre-season games last year, notching two goals and three points, which included an overtime winner against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Following his pre-season success, Vilmanis joined the Charlotte Checkers for his AHL rookie season.
On a strong Checkers team, the 21-year-old posted nine goals and 27 points in 61 games, including three goals and seven points in 11 playoff games. The youngster finished with the 11th most goals and 10th most points on the Checkers.
Standing 6-foot-1, 191 pounds, Vilmanis has an NHL-ready frame, but is currently working on adding pace to his game, which revolves around solid skating mechanics, nifty hands and a heavy shot. Drafted in the fifth round (157th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, the expectation would be that if Vilmanis did pan out, it would take some time, but the Latvian-born winger has progressed far faster than the team expected.
Vilmanis showed up to rookie camp determined, and the results followed quickly. The left-handed winger got the scoring started in the opening game against the Carolina Hurricanes and did so again against the Nashville Predators in the third and final game.
Unfortunately for Vilmanis, he collided with the boards in the opening frame after forcing a turnover and creating a breakaway chance. The collision forced Vilmanis to leave the game, and he did not return for the second period.
Vilmanis’ health status is unknown, and the current hope is that he was removed from the game as a precaution.
With the competitiveness of the Panthers’ current bottom-six, it’s unlikely that Vilmanis is even in the conversation to make the team, but if he continues to improve and impresses in the AHL, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Vilmanis earn his first call-up to the NHL this season and be a real contender to earn a spot out of camp next year.
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