The Florida Panthers received difficult news before an important road trip starting this Sunday.
Forward Sam Reinhart will miss the team’s upcoming four-game trip because of an undisclosed injury. The update raised concerns for Florida, the defending Stanley Cup champions, as the team fights to stay competitive late in the NHL season.
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Panthers reporter Jameson Olive shared the news on X after speaking with coach Paul Maurice. Maurice explained that the forward has been dealing with more than one physical issue.
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“It’s more than one thing he’s been dealing with,” Maurice said, before revealing that Reinhart had played through injuries for some time.
Reinhart missed his first game of the season earlier in the week. However, he returned Thursday and scored the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite that performance, the Panthers decided to give the veteran forward time to recover.
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Florida now prepares for a four-game road trip that begins Sunday, against the Seattle Kraken on March 15. The schedule then continues against the Vancouver Canucks on March 17. Florida will also face the Edmonton Oilers on March 19 before finishing against the Calgary Flames on March 20.
Sam Reinhart’s importance to the Panthers’ offense
Reinhart has played a major role in Florida’s offense this season. The 30-year-old center leads the team with 29 goals and 32 assists through 64 games. His 61 points also rank first on the roster.
He remains a key part of the Panthers’ power play as well. Reinhart has produced 11 power-play goals and 14 power-play assists. The veteran averages more than 21 minutes of ice time each game.
Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) gets set during a face-off at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Florida currently holds a 33-29-3 record with 69 points. The team sits seventh in the Atlantic Division and continues to chase a playoff spot. This is another setback for the two-time (2024 and 2025) defending Stanley Cup champion, which is already missing its captain, Aleksander Barkov.
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The Panthers average 2.97 goals per game but allow 3.28 goals per contest. With Reinhart unavailable during the road trip, Florida must rely on other forwards to fill the scoring gap.
The earliest possible return for Reinhart could come on March 24. Florida hosts Seattle that night if the forward is ready to rejoin the lineup.
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