How Sam Reinhart Evolved Into One Of The Florida Panthers' Most Important Players

In his initial days as an up-and-coming NHLer with the Buffalo Sabres, Sam Reinhart carried the weight of being the second-overall pick in 2014.

It wasn't as if Reinhart's rookie season in Buffalo was a failure; he posted 23 goals and 42 points in 79 games, and his point total eventually grew as high as 65 points in 82 games in 2018-19. 

However, as the Sabres' futility to even qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs dragged on and on, Reinhart eventually wasn't seen as part of the solution for Buffalo. So when the Sabres traded Reinhart to the Florida Panthers for goalie Devon Levi and a 2022 first-round draft pick that turned into Jiri Kulich, some Sabres fans weren't all that upset to see him go.

But seeing how Reinhart has elevated his game to an elite level with the Panthers — winning two Stanley Cups and now sitting just one goal away from taking sole place of second on the franchise's all-time goal-scoring list — has to sting for Sabres fans.

Indeed, Reinhart's hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners approach to the game has helped define the Panthers' identity. But on the scoresheet, he's undeniable as one of the league's most underrated players, leading the Panthers in scoring since he joined in the 2021-22 season with 324 points in 321 games.

There's a reason why Hockey Canada has made Reinhart a crucial component in best-on-best international tournaments, including the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. It's the buzz-saw impact he has that punishes opponents, but it's also his ability to thrive in high-stakes games that sets him apart from his peers.

True to form, Reinhart has gotten out to a terrific start this season, posting nine goals and 16 points in 16 games. And he's doing so in Year 3 of an eight-year contract paying him $8.6 million per season.

If he had hit the open market as a UFA, Reinhart would easily get at least a 50 percent raise on that salary, but he's bought into the team-first concept in Florida, and he's got the comfort of being in a market where he can disappear into the weeds without a gaggle of media bearing down on him day-in and day-out.

If you're looking for a player with snot, Reinhart has a tanker truck full of it. If you're looking for a player who can lay it all on the line when the games matter most, Reinhart is one of the first players to fit that bill.

Just look at his playoff resume. The 30-year-old posted 23 points in 21 Stanley Cup playoff games last season, and he also recorded 10 goals and 16 points in 24 games in one of Florida's two championship seasons. 

Reinhart has been an invaluable addition to the Panthers, and if this team ends up bouncing back and returning to Stanley Cup contention, there's a good chance he'll be a big reason why.

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