Jonah Gadjovich

Jonah Gadjovich
Born	(1998-10-12) October 12, 1998 Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Professional ice hockey player
Known for	Left winger for the Florida Panthers in the NHL; Stanley Cup champion (2024, 2025)

Jonah Gadjovich (born October 12, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was chosen 55th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks and has previously competed with both the Canucks and the San Jose Sharks. Gadjovich contributed to the Panthers' consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 2024 and 2025.

Hailing from Whitby, Ontario, Gadjovich launched his hockey journey with the Whitby Wildcats in the Eastern AAA Hockey League. He was selected in the second round by the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he amassed 89 goals and 66 assists across 228 contests.

Early life

Born into a family with Macedonian roots and strong athletic ties, Gadjovich’s uncles, Blair and Tony MacDonald, have NHL backgrounds; Blair appeared in 219 NHL games, while Tony holds the position of director of amateur scouting for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Amateur

Gadjovich began his competitive play with the Whitby Wildcats before being drafted 39th overall in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection by the Owen Sound Attack. He took part in Hockey Canada's 2014 National Under-17 Development Camp alongside teammate Victor Mete. During his first OHL season, he tallied four goals and five assists over 60 games.

The 2016–17 campaign marked a breakout year for Gadjovich as he netted 46 goals in 60 games, including four hat-tricks. His efforts helped set a franchise record for consecutive victories and earned him a place on the OHL Second All-Star Team. His rising stock led to an improvement from 60th to 39th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings prior to the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Selected 55th overall by Vancouver—using a pick obtained from Columbus as compensation for hiring John Tortorella—Gadjovich returned to Owen Sound for eight games during the next season before signing an entry-level contract with the Canucks.

Vancouver Canucks

Concluding his major junior tenure in 2018, Gadjovich joined Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, for the 2018–19 season. After recovering from a wrist injury sustained during the OHL playoffs, he missed the Canucks’ Summer Showcase but made his professional debut on October 5, 2018, against the Toronto Marlies. He recorded his first professional goal on November 9 during a shootout victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack, contributing to a team record of 5–3–1 at that time. Showcasing offensive capabilities, he gained power play opportunities replacing Zack MacEwen and completed his rookie season with four goals and ten points in 40 games.

Following his initial pro year, Gadjovich participated in Canucks development camp ahead of the 2019–20 season but was reassigned to Utica. By December, he had already surpassed his previous goal total with five goals in just 12 games. Although injuries restricted him to only 38 games during a shortened season, he achieved personal bests with 13 goals, four assists, and a total of 17 points.

In his third year as a professional, Gadjovich led the Comets with 15 goals and earned his first call-up to the NHL after recording a Gordie Howe hat trick. He made his NHL debut on May 17, 2021, appearing briefly in a 6–5 overtime loss against the Calgary Flames. His impressive contributions earned him both the media-voted Most Valuable Player award for the Comets and the Tom McVie Award as coach’s MVP.

San Jose Sharks

On October 7, 2021, Gadjovich was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks. Doug Wilson, the Sharks' general manager, described him as a "skater who leverages his size effectively." Gadjovich made his NHL debut on October 24, 2021, facing the Boston Bruins, where he earned his first NHL point with an assist. His inaugural goal occurred on February 27, 2022, contributing to a 3–1 victory against the Seattle Kraken. He agreed to a one-year contract extension with San Jose on August 29, 2022.

Florida Panthers

Following two seasons in San Jose, Gadjovich signed a one-year AHL contract with the Charlotte Checkers on July 2, 2023. Prior to the 2023–24 NHL season, he participated in the Florida Panthers' training camp and secured a one-year deal worth $810,000 on October 17, 2023. After starting the season with the Checkers, he was called up and made his debut for the Florida Panthers in a 2–1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on November 17, 2023.

On March 7, 2024, Gadjovich inked a two-year extension with the Panthers. During his first season with Florida, he contributed in 39 regular season games and was part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2024. Although he did not participate in playoff games, the Panthers requested that his name be included on the Stanley Cup in recognition of his full-season efforts.

International play

Gadjovich was selected to represent Team Canada’s under-20 squad at the 2018 World Junior Championships held in Buffalo, New York. The team secured gold at the tournament. He earned player of the game honors after netting two goals against Slovakia.

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2013–14	Whitby Wildcats	ETAHL		23	15	15	30	20		4	0	2	2	0
2014–15	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		60	4	5	9	59		3	0	0	0	0
2015–16	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		66	14	10	24	42		6	1	1	2	6
2016–17	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		60	46	28	74	32		17	4	3	7	8
2017–18	Owen Sound Attack	OHL		42	25	23	48	42		9	2	2	4	2
2018–19	Utica Comets	AHL		43	4	6	10	32		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Utica Comets	AHL		38	13	4	17	32		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Utica Comets	AHL		19	15	3	18	17		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		1	0	0	0	17		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	San Jose Sharks	NHL		43	1	2	3	74		—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	San Jose Sharks	NHL		35	3	4	7	57		—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Florida Panthers	NHL		39	2	2	4	104
2023–24	Charlotte Checkers	AHL		3	1	0	1	0
2024–25	Florida Panthers	NHL		42	4	0	4	60		16	2	1	3	33
NHL totals				160	10	8	18	312		16	2	1	3	33

International

Year	Team	Tournament	Outcome		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2018	Canada	WJC	Template:Gold1		7	2	1	3	6
Junior career totals					7	2	1	3	6

Awards and honours

Distinction	Year
OHL
Second All-Star Team	2017
NHL
Stanley Cup winner	2024, 2025