During this past off-season, the Florida Panthers signed defenseman Nate Schmidt to a one-year, $800,000 contract. This was after he was bought out by the Winnipeg Jets right before the start of free agency.
With the Panthers needing more defensive depth, it was understandable that they took a shot on Schmidt. The hope was that he would be a solid depth defenseman for them, but in the end, he was far more than that for Florida this season.
Schmidt fit in nicely with the Panthers, as he had five goals, 19 points, 82 hits, and a plus-4 rating in 80 regular-season games in 2024-25. However, he ended up being a real difference-maker during the post-season, as he recorded three goals, 12 points, and a plus-9 rating in 23 games. This included recording five assists in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers.
When noting that Schmidt only had a $800,000 cap hit this season, he proved to be a great value signing for the Panthers. There is no question that Florida made the right call taking a shot on him, and he has undoubtedly raised his value again after his impressive post-season.
With how well Schmidt played this season, it would be understandable if the Panthers are open to extending him. However, re-signing him could be challenging for Florida, as they have big-name pending unrestricted free agents like Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand to focus on.
Alas, even if Schmidt ends up leaving this summer in free agency, it would not take away from the fact that the Panthers made a great move bringing him last off-season.
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