The Florida Panthers have secured the services of star forward Sam Reinhart for the long term, signing him to an eight-year contract extension, as reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the official announcement of the deal is slated for Monday.
Reinhart’s outstanding regular season performance included a league-leading 57 goals, with 27 of those coming on the power play, and a total of 94 points in 82 games. His remarkable 24.5% shooting accuracy led the NHL.
The 28-year-old also impressed defensively, finishing fourth in Selke Trophy voting for best defensive forward. Analytical metrics from Evolving-Hockey reveal his impact, with Reinhart contributing a defensive goals above replacement of 6.3 and the Panthers controlling 63.6% of goals and 59.7% of expected goals at five-on-five play while he was on the ice.
Reinhart’s postseason contributions were equally significant, culminating in his Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 7, propelling the Panthers to their inaugural franchise championship. Throughout the playoffs, he tallied 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 24 games, ranking fifth on the team.
Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in July 2021, Reinhart quickly became a cornerstone for the Panthers, initially signing a three-year, $19.5-million contract. Since joining the team, his 121 goals in 242 games lead the Panthers, while his 243 points trail only team captain Aleksander Barkov.
Selected second overall by the Sabres in the 2014 NHL Draft, Reinhart boasts a career total of 255 goals and 538 points in 696 NHL games.
