2024 Stanley Cup Champions

Stanley Cup Champ Sam Reinhart: ‘I Don’t Want to Leave’ the Panthers

Published

6 months ago

June 25, 2024

Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers raises the Stanley Cup after scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 on Monday night in Sunrise. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire)

SUNRISE — It is now the offseason for the now-reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and there is business to take care of, including the big question of what is next for Sam Reinhart.

Reinhart is the undisputed top free agent target on the NHL market with signing day less than a week away.

Yes, this Florida Panthers offseason may be the shortest in professional sports history.

Reinhart scored the game-winning goal in Florida’s 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, capping a most impressive season.

His three-year contract is now expired and, for the first time, Reinhart will have complete control over where he plays in the coming season.

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Monday night, standing on the ice in Sunrise still wearing his gear, he sounded a bit emotional when asked by Florida Hockey Now about what could be next.

Reinhart does not seem to want this ride in South Florida, and with the Panthers, to end.

With $20 million in cap space and 11 unrestricted free agents, Florida general manager Bill Zito has a lot of work to do in a short amount of time.

Reinhart knows this all too well.

“This is unbelievable, and [a team] changes every year,’’ Reinhart told FHN. “I don’t want to leave, I want to be here. This is unbelievable, this is the best place in the league to play in my option.

“To be there [in Las Vegas] last year and get dismantled the way we did against a much better team and the amount we learned, how we rebounded is incredible.’’

Reinhart came to the Panthers in a 2022 draft day trade with the Buffalo Sabres.

After not making the playoffs with Buffalo after being the second-overall pick of the 2014 NHL draft behind Aaron Ekblad, he was certainly ready for a change.

The Panthers offered that — and things have been great ever since.

Florida made the playoffs in each of Reinhart’s potential first three seasons with the Panthers reaching the Final the past two.

Now, he is a Stanley Cup champ.

“It’s unbelievable,’’ he said. “No sweeter place to do it than South Florida. We love it here. … It’s incredible. I mean, that definitely hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s incredible.”

As for what is next, Reinhart said he was ready to drink something strong out of the Cup.

There were plenty of opportunities to do so as Monday turned into Tuesday and, will turn into Wednesday.

The party is on.

“I haven’t had a drink in f-ing three months,’’ Reinhart said. “I’ll drink anything at this point.”