Sam Reinhart On Florida Panthers Repeating As Stanley Cup Champions: ‘’There’s No Higher Place To Play Hockey’

Sam Reinhart has emerged as fairly the pressure in hockey over the previous couple of years.

The 29-year-old ahead has turned in two of the extra clutch performances within the NHL over the previous couple of Stanley Cup Finals, hitting the game-winning objective in Recreation 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals and scoring 4 targets within the series-clinching Recreation 6 over the Edmonton Oilers on this yr’s rematch.

“I believe being there earlier than, each time you undergo one thing, you’re that rather more comfy the subsequent time,” says Reinhart of his and the Panthers’ efficiency within the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. “You simply type of benefit from the second. It was such a battle once more, however we felt assured the entire time. It is good to not be in Edmonton (for Recreation 7).”

Reinhart turned the primary participant since 1957 to attain 4 targets in a Stanley Cup Finals sport.

“An entire lot of nothing, a bit little bit of a blackout,” Reinhart says when requested what was operating by means of his thoughts. “You are simply feeling that vitality, you are type of within the zone and that was most likely the quickest sport I’ve ever been part of. It was a fairly cool expertise.”

Behind the play of Reinhart together with the remainder of the core – Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky – the Panthers have emerged because the NHL’s powerhouse workforce. Contemplating the franchise didn’t win a playoff collection for 26 years till 2022 and when factoring in that they’re the southernmost workforce within the NHL, it’s fairly the accomplishment.

The Panthers have shortly emerged as South Florida’s most adored workforce, particularly when contemplating the opposite main professional sports activities groups of the realm – the Miami Dolphins, Miami Warmth and Miami Marlins – have struggled to win championships lately.

“During the last 10 years since I’ve been within the league, the transformation that’s occurred in South Florida has been fairly particular,” says Reinhart. “So to be part of it during the last couple of years is one thing we’re not taking with no consideration and we’ll get pleasure from each second of it.”

Whereas the shift in South Florida changing into a hockey city has been dramatic, it didn’t occur in a single day. The additions of Bennett through the 2020-21 season and Reinhart earlier than the 2021-22 season helped get the Panthers to a aggressive stage. Nonetheless, they nonetheless struggled within the playoffs, shedding to the Tampa Bay Lightning in consecutive seasons, together with through the 2021-22 season after they completed with a league-best 122 factors.

They’ve flipped the script utterly for the reason that additions of Tkachuk and head coach Paul Maurice earlier than the beginning of the 2022-23 season, profitable 11 of 12 playoff collection.

“Doing it once more, in some situations it was simpler and in some situations it was so much tougher,” says Reinhart of profitable the Stanley Cup for the second time. “The psychological grind was tougher this yr, particularly through the begin of playoffs, finish of the season, there are totally different spurts of the yr which can be very difficult. A part of it as a result of you understand how powerful it’s and you’re so drained on the finish of the day. However you retain pushing and we had been capable of persevere once more.”

The Panthers’ core is younger except for Bobrovsky (36 years previous) and so they appear poised to proceed their run. Nonetheless, Florida has notable free brokers this offseason, together with Conn Smythe Trophy winner Bennett, midseason acquisition Brad Marchand – who scored a number of game-winning targets within the playoffs – and their second-longest tenured participant, Ekblad, who joined the workforce in 2014.

“I believe everybody within the league is aware of you wish to be in Florida,” says Reinhart. “There’s no higher place to play hockey, there is no higher place to stay. Whether or not you undergo one thing like this or not, everybody’s conscious of that. We’re lucky to be right here, we’re lucky to stay right here. These guys know that. I am assured these guys are coming again, whether or not it occurs, I am unsure. They have a spot right here in historical past perpetually, love these guys, and hope they’re again for positive.”

Sam Reinhart Hangs Out At Elevating Cane’s With Followers

Simply days after profitable the Stanley Cup for the second time at Amerant Financial institution Area, Reinhart celebrated the workforce’s newest cup win with native followers simply minutes away from the Panthers’ area at Elevating Cane’s.

It was the second consecutive yr {that a} Panthers star celebrated a Stanley Cup win at Elevating Cane’s, with Tkachuk doing so final yr. Final yr’s occasion drew round 2,500 followers.

“It’s all the pieces,” says Reinhart of Elevating Canes’ assist. “Since coming right down to Florida, we’ve had that assist for years. To have the ability to give again to this complete model and one thing that may be very particular for us.”

Reinhart names the rooster fingers and an Arnold Palmer as his go-to objects on the menu.

“My go-to Cane’s order must be a four-set of a rooster fingers,” says Reinhart. “That can do. First time I attempted Cane’s was in Florida throughout my first yr. My spouse and I had been hung over — it was a pleasant order and it saved our day.”