FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Why does a player change their number?
Well, there’s often a number of reasons!
But for Mackie Samoskevich, his numerical connection goes way back.
Coming off a very successful rookie season in which he scored 15 goals in 72 games, the young Florida Panthers forward will be switching his jersey number from No. 25 to No. 11.
Following a recent summer skate at the Baptist Health IcePlex, I had a chance to sit down with Samoskevich to talk about his decision, his long history with No. 11 and much more.
OLIVE: Why was this the right time to change your number?
SAMOSKEVICH: I liked No. 25, but being here for a full year now and establishing myself in the league, I think it allowed me to do that. No. 11 was the one that I grew up wearing. My sister, Melissa, originally wore it. That was kind of the story behind it. She’s my role model. That’s how I got started with it. It’s nice to finally have it back.
OLIVE: When do you remember first wearing No. 11?
SAMOSKEVICH: I was really young. My sister, she was playing boys hockey until she couldn’t anymore, and she was one of the best players out there. I remember growing up, as a kid, looking up to her and seeing her out there with them and lighting it up. I just thought I wanted to be like her. I got into the number, and here we are.
OLIVE: Did your twin sister, Maddie, also wear No. 11?
SAMOSKEVICH: She wore it at school for a bit. It’s kind of in the family.
OLIVE: You obviously had a lot of success wearing the No. 11, including your time with USA Hockey and your two years in college at Michigan. When you see the number on your jersey again now hanging in your stall, do memories come flooding back?
SAMOSKEVICH: It felt really cool coming in here for the first time and seeing No. 11 on the helmet and in the stall. It brought back a pretty good feeling. All the memories in it, from high school to junior to Michigan, all those kind of come back to you.
OLIVE: There’s been eight other players to wear No. 11 in the history of the Panthers, a list that includes names like Bill Lindsay, Gregory Campbell and Jonathan Huberdeau. What’s it like to carry on the tradition?
SAMOSKEVICH: Hopefully I can continue it in a good way, and I think I will. A lot of great players have worn this number here, and I hope to represent it well.
OLIVE: Since we’re less than a month away from the opening night of the 2025-26 season, what’s it going to be like to wear No. 11 for the first time in the NHL?
SAMOSKEVICH: It’s going to be really cool, but I don’t think my parents are very happy since they’ve still got all the No. 25 jerseys [smiles]. It’ll be cool and bring back a lot of good memories, for sure.
OLIVE: After getting to play in a ton of games and winning the Stanley Cup as a rookie, how much are you looking forward to taking another step forward this season?
SAMOSKEVICH: Last year helps a lot. Your first time through it, it’s kind of tough because you don’t know what to expect and there’s so many different things that happen throughout the year that maybe you’re not ready for. Coming into it for a second year, I know what to expect now. I know how the game’s played. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
OLIVE: Captain’s skates have been going on for a little bit now. What’s it been like being back with the group and what’s the buzz like in the locker room after back-to-back Stanley Cups?
SAMOSKEVICH: It feels really good, especially with how last season ended and with all the memories we made. We had a blast, and to think that we have pretty much the same group coming back is super exciting.
