Panthers’ Sam Reinhart Is Living in Opponents’ Heads – The Hockey Writers Florida Panthers Latest News, Analysis & More

The Florida Panthers are one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NHL. They are loaded with stars and play a brilliant style of hockey—it’s a treat to behold. But I want to direct your attention to Sam Reinhart specifically, who is shooting above a 20% clip for a second consecutive season.

Reinhart’s impact goes beyond just shooting the puck, and that was displayed in the Panthers’ 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators last night (Feb. 8). His presence alone proved to be a game-changer in his team’s blowout victory. Let me explain.

Reinhart’s Daunting Presence

Reinhart has become one of the NHL’s best goal-scorers. But he hasn’t needed 99^th-percentile shot power to get there (far from it, actually). Rather, he has mastered putting the puck in the net using his impeccable accuracy and, not to be dismissed, his mind.

I went over every single one of Reinhart’s 67 goals from last season from the moment the puck dropped in the 2023-24 campaign until he hoisted the Stanley Cup in June. A lot of them were from the bumper spot on the power play, finding holes in defenses and cashing in on golden opportunities. With superstars Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov dishing him pucks, Reinhart and the Panthers became an unstoppable force.

At a certain point, teams caught on. That’s especially the case today. But that hasn’t made him any less dangerous. Why, you may ask? Well, take a look at this power-play goal against the Senators—Reinhart moves to the bumper, attracts three players, and an uncontested Tkachuk shot beats Linus Ullmark for the score. Ottawa, who was up 1-0 at the time, never saw another lead.

TKACHUK TKACHING pic.twitter.com/IaKpGt1zpd

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) February 9, 2025

Three players are swarming Reinhart on this goal, with Jake Sanderson especially giving him too much attention. But can you blame him? Including the playoffs, Reinhart has 98 goals since the 2023-24 campaign began—a large chunk of them have been scored from that exact spot. Tkachuk, one of the most gifted playmakers in the league, routinely feeds him in that area.

Teams certainly go over this. Everyone on the ice for a penalty kill is aware that Reinhart is one of the deadliest efficiency shooters in the game. I’m not an NHL player, but I’m willing to bet that, leading up to Tkachuk’s snipe, that’s what they were thinking about. I mean, they instantly flocked to him.

It’s just too bad that they forgot about the shooter, and one with multiple 40-goal seasons. Reinhart’s mere existence distracts from the fact that the Panthers are stacked with talent.

The Tkachuk goal isn’t even a unique instance. Reinhart may not get much credit for it on the box score (or even analytically), but his impact is very much felt. For that, it’s safe to call him one of the NHL’s few superstars.

Panthers Were the Perfect Destination for Reinhart

He’s obviously had a ton of personal growth, but Reinhart is as prominent in opposing game-plan meetings (I speculate he is, at least), largely because of the team he plays for. He was fantastic with the Buffalo Sabres, of course, but the elite talent in Florida has allowed him to blossom into what he is today.

Perhaps the Panthers saw a high-end finisher (13.55% shooting clip between 2014-15 and 2020-21; better than Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares in that span) and thought he could do even more damage in a new location. He was a two-way menace, too, so maybe the idea was that he wasn’t being maximized on a rebuilding roster. Well, general manager Bill Zito was correct—there was a lot more to unlock.

The vision was clear. Jonathan Huberdeau and Barkov were sixth and 12^th in primary assists respectively over the previous three seasons, putting an already efficient shooter in possibly the best playmaking environment in the sport. In 2021-22, Reinhart spent most of his 5-on-5 minutes with Anton Lundell (who looks like a star playmaker in his own right) and Mason Marchment, but the point stands. Even after Zito subbed out Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar for Tkachuk, the Panthers’ playmaking factory was very much intact.

The benefits didn’t truly begin until last season, as mentioned, but those benefits have been monumental. Reinhart is now stapled next to Barkov at 5-on-5, while Tkachuk’s craftiness has raised his ceiling on the man advantage. Getting traded to Florida was a blessing for Reinhart—he has become a household name. The Panthers are exploiting his strengths better than anyone else likely could have.

Panthers Are Still the NHL’s Best

If I had to pick someone to win the Stanley Cup this season, the Panthers would be my first choice. After losing Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson along with Vladimir Tarasenko, I think they could use a puck-moving defenseman for their top four and a middle-six winger who can provide some scoring touch. But their foundation is set, and it’s one of the best in the NHL.

Related: Panthers Can Move These 3 AHL Players at the Trade Deadline

The Panthers are always a threat to score, with play-drivers such as Barkov, Tkachuk, and Lundell all being on different lines. It’s a never-ending cycle of offense, as they’re the league’s fifth-best team in both expected and actual goals scored per 60 minutes. They’re also excellent defensively and improving between the pipes (.913 save percentage since the New Year), showing how deep the roster in Sunrise is.

With a few minor tweaks, Florida could very well have the engine to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup for the third season in a row. Reinhart living in his opponents’ heads is a driving force for this hockey club.