Panthers’ Luostarinen fined for high-sticking Penguins’ Rakell
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Monday that Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen has been assessed a $5,000 fine for high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell.
Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for high-sticking Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell.
The infraction left Rakell bloodied, and Luostarinen was given a four-minute double minor for the play. The Finnish forward has no prior history of receiving supplemental discipline from the Department of Player Safety.
The Penguins went on to win the game 5-2, capping off a rare back-to-back between two teams with no travel, as Pittsburgh trounced Florida by a 9-4 margin on Saturday. The results from the weekend helped the Penguins put themselves on the brink of clinching a playoff spot, while the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions from Sunrise were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.
Luostarinen, originally acquired by Florida in the 2020 trade that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Carolina Hurricanes, has found a home as a strong checking forward in the Panthers’ lineup.
His aggressive style and commitment to the defensive side of the puck have made him an excellent fit with the team’s identity, and he played a role in both of Florida’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025.
NEWS: #TimeToHunt F Eetu Luostarinen has been fined $5,000 (max allowable under CBA) for high-sticking #LetsGoPens F Rickard Rakell.
The 27-year-old was especially crucial in 2025, when he shattered his postseason career highs with 5 goals and 14 assists for 19 points in 23 games during the run.
Luostarinen has 27 points in 68 games played this year, one marred by injuries for the Panthers that will see them out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2019. In his regular season career, he has 156 points on 59 goals and 97 assists in 442 appearances.
The Siilinjärvi native represented his country this past February at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, where he tallied four assists in six games played as Team Finland went on to win the bronze medal.