Colby Guy
From now until the start of training camp on Sept. 22, Florida Hockey Now will profile players who will play a key role for the 2022-23 Florida Panthers.
Today’s Player: Sam Reinhart
What Happened Last Year: In his first season with the Florida Panthers, Sam Reinhart hit career highs across the board. The 26-year-old forward had 33 goals, 49 assists and 82 points in 78 games.
Reinhart struggled to reach hefty expectations given to him since getting drafted second overall by the Buffalo Sabres. His previous career-highs were 25 goals (2017-18, 2020-21) and 65 points (2018-19).
He grew into a second-line role, producing steadily around the 20-goal, 50-point mark for the majority of his career but did not break out into that top-line caliber player until his final year in Buffalo.
While he showed flashes in 2020-21, scoring 25 goals and 40 points in 54 games, he hit that next level when he arrived in Florida.
Reinhart immediately grew into a reliable forward who could play up and down the lineup for Florida. He eventually found chemistry with Anton Lundell and Mason Marchment to form one of the best third lines in the league.
His ability to both score and make plays for others made him one of Florida’s most versatile players.
He now looks like the player he was touted to be in 2014 with his first point-per-game season in the books.
What to Look For at Camp: With Anthony Duclair out with an Achilles tear and Marchment and Claude Giroux gone via free agency, look for Reinhart to be given an even bigger role with the Panthers.
While continuing to play with Lundell is most definitely on the table, he could be moved up to the top six with Duclair out. He proved throughout the season that he is able to build chemistry with whoever he played with and he spent a good deal of time on Sasha Barkov’s wing when the team was dealing with injuries last year.
He was also quietly one of the best defensive forwards in the league and that should improve under the stewardship of new head coach Paul Maurice.
Florida could also have Lundell center the second line with Reinhart a part of that.
Questions To Be Answered This Season: The biggest question to be answered is whether or not his production from last season can be repeated.
It looks like an easy yes given how things played out on the ice. Reinhart generated offense in every way possible, making the necessary reads and flashy passes to rack up assists and scoring goals both near the front of the net and with shots from the perimeter. No matter who he is playing with, he has the skillset to adjust accordingly.
It should be interesting to see if Maurice keeps him with Lundell or plays him up in the lineup, but he will be fine either way.
In Their Words: “I think the important thing about this group is the depth,” Reinhart said. “From a forward’s perspective, there’s a lot of guys that you can play with, a lot of guys you can create chances with out there, so it’s been fun.”
Overall Outlook: Reinhart will continue to be a key contributor to the Panthers’ offense and hit the 30-goal/70-point plateau, at least.
With three key contributors from last year’s group gone, Reinhart will have a larger role both 5-on-5 and on the power play. With the amount of talent he has, he will take advantage of it.
FHN COUNTDOWN TO CAMP
Upcoming: Carter Verhaeghe, Gus Forsling, Spencer Knight, Matthew Tkachuk, Anton Lundell