Panthers’ Anton Lundell fined for high-sticking Canadiens’ Alexandre Texier

A young center is paying up for his recent actions.

On Friday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell has been fined $5,000 for high-sticking Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier.

The incident came late in the second period of a game between the two teams on Thursday night. Lundell caught Texier up high with his stick and was called for a double-minor for high-sticking. The Canadiens failed to capitalize on the extended power play but went on to win the game, 6-2. Lundell registered 19:55 of ice time across 23 shifts. He put five shots on goal while finishing the game with a plus/minus of -1.

The fine is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Lundell has appeared in all 43 games so far this season for the Panthers. With players like Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk out of commission, the 24-year-old has had to step up and be one of the team’s top scoring weapons in order to stay in the hunt for the playoffs. So far, Lundell has scored 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points, good for fourth on the team in scoring.

The Espoo, Finland native is well on his way to surpassing his career bests in most offensive categories. Last season, he posted 28 assists and 45 points, with his career-high in goals coming back in his rookie season in 2021-22, when he found the back of the net 18 times.

Lundell has also been an important piece in the Panthers’ back-to-back Stanley Cups. After delivering 17 points in 2024, he added another 18 during last year’s run to the championship.

The Panthers (22-18-3) sit seventh in the Atlantic Division and are three points back of the last Wild Card spot.