Once traded by Panthers, Schwindt sparks win in return to the ice for Florida

By Adam H. Beasley Special to the Miami Herald
Updated October 25, 2025 11:52 PM

The Florida Panthers badly needed help on offense. Cole Schwindt simply needed a job. Saturday night went better than either could have possibly imagined when the former picked up the latter a few weeks back. Schwindt, the 24-year-old forward and former Panthers draft pick, slammed home a third-period rebound to spur a much-needed 3-0 Panthers victory over the visiting Vegas Golden Knights. Those three Panthers goals were plenty of firepower for goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who tallied 17 saves to record his 50th career regular season shutout, and first shutout of any kind since Game 2 of last May’s series against the Carolina Hurricanes. With that 50th shutout, Bobrovsky moved into a tie with Chris Osgood for 32nd on the NHL’s all-time list. And the Panthers defense did that work against Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, who entered the game with four games and five assists in his last four games. Eichel on Saturday had just one shot on goal and was held off the scoresheet. “Those are hard games,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said of Bobrovsky. “I think you need a mature goalie. When you play well like we did tonight, you go stretches of not seeing a lot, but when you’re playing a team like that, they’re gonna get an elite player alone or close to it, and he’s always good in those situations.” Schwindt’s goal — his first as a Panther and second in the NHL — was particularly sweet, given it came against the team that cut him a few weeks back.

Schwindt was part of the Panthers’ organization from 2019 through the summer of 2022, when he was part of the Panthers’ franchise-altering trade for Matthew Tkachuk. Florida sent Schwindt, Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary for Tkachuk and draft considerations.

In the three seasons that followed, Schwindt appeared in just 46 games (with the Flames and then the Golden Knights), scoring one goal and assisting on seven others. He returned to Florida earlier this month after the Golden Knights waived him.

Saturday wasn’t just Schwindt’s first game for the Panthers this season. It was his first ice time since May. “My first was on an empty net, so this one feels a little different, but it feels great,” Schwindt said. “Obviously that’s something that I’d like to build into my game a little bit of more, but you know, I think, first and foremost, be structurally sound and do anything I can help to get the team.” The Panthers (5-5-0) on Saturday also got goals out Sam Reinhart (his fourth of the season) and A.J. Greer, who also set up another. Brad Marchand added an assist, his team-leading sixth of this young season. It was another encouraging sign for a Panthers offense that — without the injured Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Tomas Nosek — entered Saturday’s game 29th in scoring (2.44 goals per game). Given those struggles and the opponent — the Golden Knights (5-1-2) entered the game leading the league in scoring (4.29) — the Panthers were wise to play in the muck early.

After a scoreless first 17 minutes, they took advantage of the best odd-man rush they got. Carter Verhaeghe found a streaking Reinhart down the left side, and Reinhart did the rest, beating Akira Schmid glove-side for his fourth goal of the season and 298th of his career. Evan Rodrigues was the breakout’s catalyst, passing ahead to Verhaeghe in the neutral zone. Reinhart’s shot was just one of five the Panthers had all period. Bobrovsky, who was coming off a rough start last time out, turned away all seven shots he saw, and none of those saves were particularly taxing. The Panthers’ defense was on its game. And that carried over into Period No. 2, when Vegas managed just five more shots on goal. The Panthers tried Schmid 11 times — include a Grade A look by Rodrigues that Schmid turned away with his stick. Florida carried a 1-0 lead into the third period, just third time this season the Panthers led after the second intermission. But Schwindt’s goal three and a half minutes into the final period tiled the ice. Greer ended any intrigue with his third goal of the season just past the 10-minute mark.