Panthers’ AJ Greer out day-to-day; Jesper Boqvist to make return

Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist is making his way back into the lineup for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters.

The 26-year-old will play his 12th game of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, sliding into the lineup for A.J. Greer on the fourth line, alongside Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich. 

The Fallun, Sweden native has two goals and five points through 11 games in the 2025 playoffs so far, last playing in Game 3 and Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, as a fill-in for an injured Sam Bennett. 

The Panthers won Game 3, where Boqvist scored a goal and three points, and lost their chance at a series sweep in Game 4, before closing out the series upon Bennett’s return in Game 5. 

Greer, meanwhile, missed Game 4 of the Hurricanes series with an injury, but returned for Game 5, skating 4:22 in a brief cameo. A week later, he is out of the lineup for the opening game against the Oilers. 

Through 12 postseason games, Greer has two goals and three points and has averaged just 7:47 of ice time. At the same time, Game 1 of the final marks the third time in the last nine games that Boqvist will replace an injured teammate, previously sliding in for Evan Rodrigues and Bennett.

Boqvist scored 12 goals and 26 points in 78 games with the Panthers in the regular season, matching his previous career high points tally, set in 2021-22 with the New Jersey Devils.

The Panthers drop the puck on the Stanley Cup Final on the road at Edmonton’s Rogers Place on Wednesday, as they continue their search for back-to-back titles after defeating the Oilers in seven games in 2024 to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.