One of the biggest priorities for the Florida Panthers this offseason was to sign high-scoring forward Sam Reinhart to a long contract extension.
Florida acquired Reinhart back at the 2021 NHL Draft in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
He was only 25 years old at the time and just entering the prime years of his career.
Panthers General Manager Bill Zito quickly signed Reinhart, who was a restricted free agent at the time of the trade, to a new three-year deal.
Reinhart went on to have the three best scoring seasons of his career, both in goals and points, after joining the Panthers.
He took things to another level last season, though, racking up an incredible 57 goals while helping Florida to an Atlantic Division title, a second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final and, oh yeah, a Stanley Cup victory.
Entering the summer as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Reinhart made no secret about his desire to stay in South Florida.
It was on the eve of free agency that a deal was struck.
Reinhart signed a max deal with Florida, inking an 8-year contract worth $69 million that will keep him with the Panthers through the 2031-32 season.
He’s quietly become one of the best two-way forwards in the league while earning a reputation as an elite power play producer.
Today, we’re taking a moment to appreciate Reino with some cool videos from the past season:
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