Schwindt Takes Red-Eye from Vegas, Back with the Florida Panthers

FORT LAUDERDALE — Cole Schwindt had quite a day. After being placed on waivers by the Golden Knights on Thursday, Schwindt found out Friday that he was claimed by his former team, the Florida Panthers, and quickly made plans to get down south.

Luckily there are plenty of flights from Las Vegas to Fort Lauderdale.

Schwindt said after being picked up by the Panthers, he started packing up his stuff and then boarded a red-eye flight back to South Florida.

Saturday morning, hours after landing, he was at the IcePlex and on the ice with his new/old team.

“11 o’clock hit and I got a phone call saying that I was coming back to Florida,’’ Schwindt said Saturday. “Super excited. I think everything worked out great. Hopped on at 11:40 last night and got here just in time for morning skate. So, everything worked out great. I’m just happy, really happy, to be here.’’

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Schwindt, you see, was drafted by the Panthers and was one of their top prospects when he was included in Florida’s blockbuster trade for Matthew Tkachuk in 2022.

When he was asked what number he wanted, he figured he may as well stay with what he knows.

“I have come full circle,” Schwindt said. “They asked me what number I wanted coming back, and it just felt right to go back with No. 79. This is where it all started for me. It’s where I played my first [NHL] game. It is kind of surreal just to get back here and put that jersey back on.”

The Panthers play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final exhibition game of the preseason Saturday night and Schwindt will be tossed into the fire and center Florida’s usual fourth line of A.J. Greer and Jonah Gadjovich.

After he gets a nice nap in, of course.

“I’m not going to change too much, just be a reliable player,” said Schwindt, who was a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2019. “Just go out there and show what I have been able to do the past couple of years.”

Paul Maurice said tonight is a little tryout for Schwindt on that fourth line.

“For me, it’s an introduction,’’ Maurice said. “The people in the organization here know him, know his personality, have a good understanding of him. It’s a look at center ice, and I will play him on a line that might perform together in Game 1. So, I get to know him, that’s it.”

It looked like Schwindt would start the season in Vegas, but the Golden Knights preferred he get a chance to log bigger minutes for their nearby AHL team in Henderson.

The Panthers held the final waiver slot and grabbed a player they did not want to part with in the first place.

“When his name came up,’’ Maurice said, “it was pretty quick. They were pretty excited to be able to add this player.’’

Schwindt seems appreciative to be back and had plenty of time on his long flight east to soak everything in.

“For me, there was a little anxiousness, a little bit of excitement,” said Schwindt, whose younger brother Kai plays for Florida’s AHL team in Charlotte.

“Everything has happened really quickly. I tried to pack up as much as I could, get to the airport and tried to get a nap on the plane.”

PANTHERS / LIGHTNING PREGAME NOTES

• Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to get his first full game of the preseason tonight against the Lightning.
• Florida is playing all of the players fighting for a final roster spot — save for Toby Bjornfot who will be scratched.
• Anton Lundell (upper body) was back on the ice Saturday, but will not play against the Lightning.
• Florida will also not play Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Gus Forsling. Daniil Tarasov remained on the ice long after the morning skate but could still backup Bobrovsky tonight.
• Tyler Motte and Noah Gregor, both in camp on PTOs, will play with Mackie Samoskevich tonight; Jack Studnicka goes with Eetu Luostarinen and Carter Verhaeghe.
• Tonight’s game will again be televised by Scripps and Panthers+ but there will be no radio call due to the Miami/FSU football game.

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• Preseason (2-4) — Game 1: @Nashville 5, Panthers 0; Game 2: @Nashville 5, Panthers 3; Game 3: Panthers 4, @Carolina 2;Game 4: Panthers 4, Carolina 3 (OT); Game 5: Tampa Bay 3, Panthers 2; Game 6: Tampa Bay 5, Panthers 2; Game 7: Tonight vs. Lightning, 7 (Panthers+, Scripps)
• Championship Ring Celebration: Monday, FTL War Memorial
• Opening Night: Tuesday vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 5
• Complete Florida Panthers 2025-26 Schedule