The Florida Panthers received some difficult news ahead of their important road trip that begins this Sunday.
Forward Sam Reinhart will miss the team’s upcoming four-game road trip due to an undisclosed injury. The update raised concerns about Stanley Cup champion Florida as the team battles to remain competitive in the second half of the NHL season.
Panthers reporter Jameson Olive broke the news on X after speaking with coach Paul Maurice. Morris explained that the forward is dealing with more than one physical issue.
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“It’s a lot more than that that he’s dealing with,” Morris said, revealing that Reinhardt has been dealing with injuries for some time.
Reinhardt missed his first game of the season earlier this week. But he returned on Thursday and scored the game-winning goal in overtime in a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite that performance, the Panthers decided to give the veteran time to recover.
Florida now prepares for a four-game road trip that begins Sunday on March 15 against the Seattle Kraken. The schedule continues with a game against the Vancouver Canucks on March 17th. Florida also faces the Edmonton Oilers on March 19 and concludes with the Calgary Flames on March 20.
Sam Reinhart’s importance to the Panthers’ offense
Reinhart has played a key role in Florida’s offense this season. The 30-year-old center leads the team with 29 goals and 32 assists in 64 games. His 61 points also top the list.
He remains a key part of the Panthers’ power play as well. Reinhardt had 11 power play goals and 14 power play assists. The veteran averages more than 21 minutes of ice time per game.
Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) competes at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Image
Florida currently holds a 33-29-3 record with 69 points. The team sits in seventh place in the Atlantic Division and continues to chase a playoff spot. It’s another setback for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions (2024 and 2025) who are already missing captain Aleksander Barkov.
The Panthers are averaging 2.97 goals per game but allowing 3.28 goals per contest. With Reinhardt unavailable during the trip, Florida will have to rely on other forwards to make up the scoring gap.
Reinhardt’s earliest possible return could occur on March 24. Florida hosts Seattle that night when the forward is ready to rejoin the lineup.
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