Mackie Samoskevich has tallied a lot of goals on the ice; now, he is one step closer to scoring one of his biggest.

It is possible we will see this Sandy Hook native in action in the National Hockey League in the not too distant future. Samoskevich was drafted by the Florida Panthers 24th overall in the first round when the NHL draft was held in late July. Samoskevich will lace up his skates for the University of Michigan this fall, and the Panthers are hopeful he will help guide them to run at the Stanley Cup sometime after college hockey.

“Mackie is a dynamic playmaking forward who possesses great awareness and competitiveness,” Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in draft coverage on the Panthers’ website, floridapanthers.com. “He is able to utilize his skills to beat opposing defenders on a consistent basis, and we look forward to watching him continue his success at the University of Michigan in 2021-22.”

“I’m super-driven. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for my whole life,” Samoskevich said of playing in the NHL.

Being drafted does not ensure a spot on the Panthers’ roster. Most NHL players put in some time at the minor league level: The New York Islanders’ top affiliate is in Bridgeport, and the Rangers’ top farm team is in Hartford, for example — both are in the American Hockey League (AHL). Florida and the expansion Seattle Kraken will share Charlotte as their AHL affiliate.

“The hard work that got me here is what’s going to propel me to the next level, in the NHL,” Samoskevich anticipates. “When I get that opportunity, I don’t want to let it slip.”

Samoskevich certainly made good use of opportunities to develop on the ice. He grew up spending countless hours honing skills in his family’s backyard rink, working on his game with his older sister Melissa and twin Maddy (see the related story about this hockey-playing family), and has already gained some pro hockey experience.

The 18-year-old appeared in 36 games with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) in 2020-21, recording 37 points (13 goals and 24 assists). He put up ten points with a goal and nine assists in eight postseason games, helping the Steel to a Clark Cup championship.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound hockey standout amassed 73 points (26 goals and 47 assists) over 85 career USHL games with Chicago from 2018-19 to 2020-21. Prior to his USHL career, Samoskevich spent three seasons at Shattuck St Mary’s School in Minnesota, where his sisters also played hockey before elevating their careers.

Samoskevich played in the US Hockey Worlds Junior Camp in Michigan this summer. His parents, Patty and Fred, and sisters went out to be with him for the virtual NHL draft.

“I’m really happy for him. We all got to be there and share the moment with him,” Melissa said.

“It was a pretty special night for sure. It was something I’ve been working toward for a while now. To see my work pay off is a big relief,” Samoskevich said.

Maddy said that when they were younger, Mackie said he wanted to be in the NHL someday. “It’s cool to see him start to achieve those dreams of his. He deserves it. He worked so hard for it,” Maddy said.

For now, Mackie is excited about his next step, taking the ice for Michigan.

“I’m super-excited. We’re going to be a good team next year. It’s going to be really fun. We have some great players,” Samoskevich said.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.