Paul Maurice happy Justin Sourdif has found home with Capitals after three years in Panthers organization: 'He had some of the worst luck that you can have as a player here'

"He had some of the worst luck that you can have as a player here. He'd have a great camp, break his wrist, whatever. He just had a run of injuries that kept him from being able to play regular. We had coming back this year and next year, prior to our injuries, we were pretty set. Everybody was signed."

"He had been such a good human being here that we wanted him to have an opportunity to go and play, and he'd earned it. He hit the right spot, and he's having great success. We're really happy for him. He's a really good person, very hardworking, loved by his teammates, got some skill. Just fingers crossed for the young man that he can stay healthy."

Justin Sourdif was traded to the Washington Capitals for two draft picks after failing to crack the Florida Panthers' back-to-back Stanley Cup rosters and spending most of three seasons in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers. The 23-year-old rookie suffered a string of injuries in Florida, including separate absences in 2022-23 and a broken wrist before the 2024 season, which limited his opportunities. After arriving in Washington he advanced from a fourth-line winger to a top-line center within months due to circumstances. Former coach Paul Maurice praised Sourdif's attitude, work ethic, character and teammates' regard, and expressed hope he can stay healthy.

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