The Florida Panthers announced Monday that they have extended qualifying offers to forward Ben Steeves and defensemen Tobias Bjornfot and Mikulas Hovorka.
Steeves, 24, led the Checkers in goals (23), points (45) and penalty minutes (100) last season. Over parts of the last three seasons the undrafted forward has totaled 75 points (34g, 41a) in 140 games for Charlotte.
Bjornfot, 25, posted 12 points (4g, 8a) in 33 games for Charlotte last season while also appearing in 19 contests for Florida. The 22nd overall pick in 2019 by Los Angeles, Bjornfot has recorded 30 points (7g, 23a) in 83 games over the last two seasons with Charlotte and has logged 192 total AHL games and 153 NHL games over his career.
Hovorka, 24, ranked third among Charlotte defensemen in scoring last season with 18 points (5g, 13a) in 57 games while also making his NHL debut with Florida. The undrafted blueliner has two pro seasons under his belt in North America and has totaled 28 points (8g, 20a) in 117 games for the Checkers.
On the other side of things, Mike Benning, Wilmer Skoog and Evan Nause were not qualified and will all become unrestricted free agents.
Benning, 24, posted 89 points (26g, 63a) in 183 games over the last three seasons and ranked first or second among Charlotte defensemen in scoring during each campaign.
Skoog, 26, notched 92 points (49g, 43a) in 182 games over three seasons with the Checkers, tying for the team lead in goals in 2023-24 and tying for second in 2025-26.
Nause, 23, was a second-round pick by Florida in 2021 and appeared in nine games for Charlotte in 2023-24, but has spent the rest of his three pro seasons in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades and the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
NHL Free Agency officially begins at noon on Wednesday, July 1.
