'A long time coming': Nate Schmidt thrilled to join Panthers, reunite with Paul Maurice
Schmidt has been watching the growth of the Panthers for years and said he wanted to be a part of what Maurice and Co. have built
Nate Schmidt was grinning ear to ear during his introductory Zoom with the Florida Panthers media contingent on Wednesday.
Wearing a very South Florida-ish blue button down featuring a pattern of what appeared to be palm trees and a bird drinking from a martini glass, Schmidt gave off the vibes of a man incredibly happy with his decision to sign with the Panthers.
Watching from the outside, Schmidt has seen the growth in and around the Panthers over the past several seasons and recognized it was something he wanted to be a part of.
"The free agency process is crazy, it's something," Schmidt said. "I felt like it was a long time coming. It felt like this was a team that I'd watched in Washington kind of come up through the rebuilding phase into the contender phase and obviously where they are now. For myself, I really loved the idea of joining this team and the energy of this group, and playing for Paul (Maurice) and Jamie (Kompon) again is something that has been high on my radar when I was going through the process."
Schmidt only played under Maurice for part of a season in Winnipeg, but it was enough for the veteran defenseman to know that it was something he'd like to do more of.
What Maurice has done during his two seasons with Florida is quite remarkable.
Between the accomplishments of the team on the ice and the camaraderie of the group when they are off the ice, playing for the Panthers is an extremely desirable position to be in right now if you're a pro hockey player.
"It's just something about that style and that type of accountability he holds his team to, and the excitement around the group that he brings, is what's drawn me back to it," Schmidt said. "That's what I was looking for throughout free agency, and it's something, I tell you it's really is, going through all that and to find somewhere, trying to recreate a lot of that room I had that first year in Vegas. I think that's such an important thing you don't realize you have until it's gone, and I think this team has it, which is so, so special. I just want to be a part of it. I told the guys, when I talked to them, just give me a taste of what you guys are having now. I just want to be a part of that."
Schmidt also has an idea of what he's getting into in terms of how he can help the team on the ice.
Having played for Maurice in Winnipeg, Schmidt knows what to expect from the way he coaches, and believes Maurice has a strong feel for what Schmidt can do to help his team.
"Because somebody that knows your game understands what he can extract from you and from your group, and I love that about Paul," Schmidt said. "I love how he treats his teams. And this group has a lot of vibes similar to my first year in Vegas, the way I hear about the how the team operates, how the guys treat each other, what the room is like, and that's magic, and you've been chasing it down ever since. I think that's what drew me the most in."
The reason Schmidt found himself an unrestricted free agent this summer was due to Winnipeg buying out the final year of the six-year, $35.7 million contract he signed back in 2018 when he was still in Vegas.
Now the 32-year-old is looking to have a bounce-back season, and he wanted to do it in a place where he could also compete for a Stanley Cup.
In Florida, he found a perfect match, and did not make a fuss about funding when it came time to negotiate.
"Money, for me, I have what I need for the rest of my (life)," Schmidt said. "I want to win, and I want to win a Cup, and I want to do it with a team that is going to have fun doing it. That's really what it comes down to. Your little kid comes back out again and says, 'Hey, I can join the team and jump on the car as it's moving a million miles an hour and be ready to rock hopefully come September.'"
Between the team being a Cup contender and having one of the tightest locker rooms in the league, Maurice leading the coaching staff was the cherry on top for Schmidt.
"Especially with how they use their defenseman and how the minutes get dispersed out, I saw an opportunity for me to come in here and be a part of a group – it's an excellent forward group with a great D core – and just say, hey, I can help contribute on a team that just won the Cup," he said. "That's a very enticing feeling."
It should be fun to see Schmidt getting acclimated to his new surroundings and acquainted with his new teammates when training camp arrives in a couple months.
To his credit, Schmidt said he plans to arrive at camp with a full understanding that he will need to work for everything he wants, from ice time to the respect of his peers.
This is what he asked for when deciding to sign with Florida.
"Now, there's a lot of defensemen going to camp, and I like to think about this summer as being back into hardware mode," Schmidt said. "You're back into hardware mode, finding out that you're going to have to grind out a spot again, no matter how many games you played and how many playoff games you've been a part of, or good teams you've been a part of. It's tough, especially in this day and age. It doesn't mean much until you get there and you step your foot on the ice. That's been the motivating factor to me for this summer and finding that this group has the pieces, now it's time for myself to jump on board and get ready to go."
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