Panthers' Uvis Balinskis: Snaps slump Thursday

Balinskis posted two assists in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Red Wings.

Balinskis ended a 15-game point drought with a helper on Mackie Samoskevich's second-period goal. Later in the frame, Balinskis set up a Brad Marchand tally as well. It's been an interesting second season for Balinskis, who has mostly been a third-pairing defenseman for the Panthers. He's managed 17 points, 88 shots on net, 79 hits, 52 blocked shots and a minus-6 rating. He's not currently part of the power-play mix but has averaged 59 seconds per game with the man advantage in 2024-25 after getting a couple of looks in that role earlier.