Patric Hornqvist’s playing days are over, but he’s not done helping the Florida Panthers

As Sam Bennett entered the final stages of his rehab for a lower-body injury he sustained late in the preseason, the Florida Panthers center found himself working with a familiar presence.

The person testing Bennett to make sure he was 100 percent ready to go: Former teammate and NHL veteran Patric Hornqvist.

“He was leaning on the guys that needed to get leaned on,” Bennett said. “He’s been around the game for a long time, so he knows as well as anyone what guys need.”

Hornqvist’s playing days are over. He retired this offseason after a 15-year career, the final three of which were with the Panthers.

But Hornqvist isn’t one to stay away from the ice.

The 36-year-old ex-forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion is now a member of the Panthers’ hockey operations department, his official title a scouting and development consultant.

But Hornqvist is also moonlighting as an extra hand for the Panthers’ coaching staff, working with the group of injured players separate from the main group as they ramp up their on-ice activities before being cleared to join the main group.

“I truly think he could play in a game. That’s how fit this guy is,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He does a bunch of things for us. He’s working in management now and does a little bit of scouting, but what he is also great at is he can push players rehabbing better than anybody because he has his equipment on and he’s as fit as anybody there.

“If you can’t keep up to a retired player,” Maurice continued, “you’ve got some work to do.”

‘He knows those battles’

The group that Hornqvist has worked with so far has primarily been four players — Bennett, forward Jonah Gadjovich, and defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. They generally get their work in before the main group practices each day and are off the ice by the time the main practice begins.

“As the drills amp up — not so much on Ekblad and Montour, but definitely on the other two — there’s a little bit of bumping that can go on,” Maurice said. “A coach can’t do that and sometimes another player can’t do that. So you need a guy who knows how hard to push along the wall. He’s spent his whole life on the wall, so he knows those battles.”

“Patric’s just an incredible interesting, incredibly positive guy to have around,” Maurice added. “These guys have gotta be tired of these skates, truly. ... Having a little enthusiasm out there with Patric — he’s so excited about the workout in the morning, you can’t not be, right? He’s all jacked up to get on the ice and skate as hard as he possibly can. He drags those other guys out there and they end up having fun while they’re getting a hell of a workout.”

Bennett and Gadjovich have since joined the main practice sessions, but both are quick to acknowledge what Hornqvist’s presence has meant.

“He’s one of the most intense hockey players I’ve ever played with,” Bennett said. “He brings that intensity when he’s coaching as well. It’s nice having someone that you played with and you’re comfortable with. You can talk to him and tell him what kind of drills you need. He understands that. He’s not afraid to work as hard and that’s definitely what we need.”

Added Gadjovich: “He’s obviously been around a long time and he knows a lot about the game. He pushes it out there. That’s what we need when we’re trying to get that conditioning up and get healthy again.”

Hornqvist’s impact on the Panthers

This is just the latest way — even after his playing career ended — that Hornqvist is making an impact with the Panthers.

Hornqvist was Bill Zito’s first acquisition with the Panthers after becoming general manager three years ago, getting the veteran in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Mike Matheson and Colton Sceviour on Sept. 24, 2020.

The message Hornqvist received at the time from Zito was simple.

“We want you because of what you bring every single day,” Hornqvist, who waived his no-trade clause for the deal to happen, recalled the day after the trade. “You get experience and you play hard, and you’ll play a big role for us on the ice, off the ice, too.”

“And that’s exactly what I want. That made my choice so much easier. I’m excited to go down there and help the team win, and get to know everyone and get the season started.”

Hornqvist primarily played fourth-line minutes and tallied 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists) over 131 games with Florida, but his impact extended beyond his production on the ice. He was a vocal presence in the dressing room, a veteran helping provide guidance and perspective for a young-yet-talented Panthers core. He pushed his teammates to elevate their game — and in the process upped his own game as well.

“It’s just my way to get into games, make sure I’m ready and make sure my teammates are ready, too,” Hornqvist said in the early stages of his first year with Florida. “We all have different personalities and you have to bring the best out of every single guy.”

Hornqvist’s final NHL game was Dec. 3, 2022, against the Seattle Kraken. He was forced forced to leave the early after taking an elbow to the head from Daniel Sprong. That resulted in his second concussion of the season. He never played after that.

It put an end to a career that spanned 901 games over 15 seasons with Nashville, Pittsburgh and the Panthers. He scored 264 goals and tallied 543 points overall.

“I can’t thank him enough for his contribution,” Zito said in June, a few months before officially bringing Hornqvist back in his consultant role. “I think we are someplace today and he is a significant reason. Rarely in life can you point to an individual and say what a collective achievement [he meant] but in this case you can. He has been a wonderful teammate and a wonderful Panther. We have a sincere and deep gratitude for everything he has done for our organization.’’

His time impacting the organization isn’t over just yet.