Panthers’ Jesper Boqvist to replace Evan Rodrigues in Game 5

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice announced a shift to his lineup ahead of Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, taking out center Evan Rodrigues for winger Jesper Boqvist. 

Rodrigues left Game 4 midway through the third period after suffering a high hit from Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in front of the Panthers’ bench. Ekman-Larssson was initially given a five-minute major penalty, before the hit was downgraded to a two-minute interference call. 

Despite skating on Tuesday and Wednesday, Rodrigues, 31, won’t take part in Wednesday’s game, coming out of the lineup for the 26-year-old Boqvist. Meanwhile, the NHL Department of Player Safety did not seek a hearing for Ekman-Larsson, who will be ready to play in Wednesday’s Game 5. 

“He just can’t play today, and we’ll list him as day-to-day,” Maurice said Wednesday. “Evan won’t play tonight, Boqvist will get back in his spot.”

Rodrigues had two shots and two hits in the Panthers’ 2-0 Game 4 win as they evened the series at two games apiece. In nine 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he has three assists, building on a regular season that saw him score 15 goals and 32 points in 82 regular-season games.  

Boqvist did not play in the last two games, but skated 5:48 in Game 2 and 4:37 in Game 1 of the second-round series. 

So far in the playoffs, Boqvist has played in seven games and has yet to contribute a point. In line rushes at Wednesday’s gameday skate, he reportedly slid into the team’s top line with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett.

Through 78 regular-season games in 2024-25, Boqvist scored 12 goals and 23 points and will look to score the first playoff goal of his career on Wednesday night, having posted one assist in 21 postseason games. 

Puckdrop for Game 5 is set for 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, with Game 6 scheduled for May 16.