July 24: The deal is now official. The Sabres will receive Levi and a 2022 first-round pick in exchange for Reinhart. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a short statement on his newest forward:
Sam has established himself as one of the best playmaking scorers in the league, and we are thrilled to be able to add him to our Panthers lineup. His competitiveness and hunger to succeed will fit seamlessly with the culture we are building here in South Florida.
LeBrun adds that the first-round pick is top-10 protected. Should it end up that high, the Sabres will receive Florida’s 2023 pick instead.
July 23: The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers are working hard on a Sam Reinhart trade, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Sabres already moved long-time defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen earlier today have been rumored to be ready to move on from both Reinhart and captain Jack Eichel this summer. The trade call is pending, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic confirms that Reinhart will be heading to Florida. Friedman notes that goaltending prospect Devon Levi will be going back to Buffalo as part of the return.
Reinhart, 25, has been one of the only beacons of consistency in a brutally inconsistent franchise over the past six seasons, posting somewhere between 17-25 goals and 40-65 points each season. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider he played just 54 games this season, but still managed a 25-goal campaign.
Unlike Ristolainen, who is often blamed for a lot of the losing in Buffalo because of his negative possession statistics, Reinhart is seen as someone who could break out if given the chance in a better situation. He has been, however, the focus of some fan’s ire because of a lack of effort at times, though that has been a common refrain for many of the Sabres that have been in Buffalo for several years, repeatedly missing the playoffs. He has also been given relatively prime opportunities for the Sabres, hardly ever being given much defensive responsibility despite playing nearly 20 minutes a night. Reinhart only really moved back to the center ice position this season, lining up more as a winger through his first several years in the league.
Still, for the Panthers, this will represent another win-now move for a team that was already among the best in the league in 2020-21. Florida went 37-14-5, but ran into the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. They fell in six games, failing to score a single goal in the deciding match. Reinhart represents a boost to that offense, and one that can be moved around the lineup depending on the rest of the moves the Panthers make this summer.
Like Sam Bennett though, a fellow 2014 draftee, Reinhart is a restricted free agent this offseason, and will be looking for a hefty contract. He is arbitration-eligible and just one year away from UFA status, meaning any multi-year contract will be expensive. If the Panthers believe he can be a core piece for them moving forward, that might make sense, but even a short-term deal could work for the team given how close they appear to contention.
Wow! Nice pick up by the Panthers.
You better be getting a big haul if you’re moving a player like Reinhart to a division rival, no matter how far off you are.
Unless he’s a free agent and you don’t want to commit long-term to him. Then a first-round pick plus a prospect is just fine.
Huberdeau Bennett Reinhart! That’s a pretty sweet second line!
Waiting for eichel to kings patiently.
Or any other big deal
If the Kings trade any of their top three prospects for Eichel, that’s a loss.
I got a sore neck just hearing that!
Just insert a plastic disc!
To be fair the kings top 3 prospects are pretty freaking good. But agreed and same goes with rangers if you’re considering Kakko and Laf prospects that is
Kings shouldn’t waste assets on Eichel. Make a lowball offer (2nd round pick) for Tarasenko and keep all of the kids.
Stick Tarasenko on Byfield’s wing and let him grow.
Except kings have no one outside byfield. Eichel could be kings 1st or second line center. Tarasenko has yet to show he’s healthy and has chronic shoulder issues easy pass. Kings could get eichel for a first and a couple of there abundant center prospects.
What do you mean by “kings have no one outside byfield”?
Yeah kings have some very good prospects…Villardi,Byfield, Turcotte,Kupari, Fagemo…the list just keeps going
You say Tarasenko has yet to show he’s healthy when Eichel has a neck issue that wasn’t properly handled
If the kings don’t make a trade for an elite centerman using their 3 top UNKNOWN prospects it’s THEIR LOSS as someone will pony up.
I think you are undervaluing the importance of cap space as well as the potential severity of Eichel’s neck injury.
Are we thinking it’s the bill of health that’s holding up the Eichel news? Or the asking price? Or that he’s good but doesn’t make the players around him as good as he could?
I think its mostly the price but his health hurts to. Even on a perfectly healthy player thats alot to pay, now Buff has lost the chamce at 1st rounders from this year being included
Wasn’t a good draft to collect first rounders. Based on where Buffalo is going, they have time.
Could be a bit of both also Could also be the 10million owed that’s slowing things
Devon Levi and a first-round pick?
Number of things or just that they wanted to move only 1 of the 2. Whichever netted the best value for that player in return. As far as making player around him better, I mean, Skinner scores 40 playing on his wing, they move him away and scores 12 in 2 years, or something to that extent. Made him better. Gotta have skill to play with skill so to speak. It’s not like Crosby could take John Scott on his wing and turn him into a 30 goal scorer. Adams has his work cut out for him but at the same time too Reinhart was a RFA and hands are tied into how long he’d actually stay here as to where Eichel is here for 5 more years regardless. If he wants to keep making money he will play to his ability even if it’s with the Sabres. So Reinhart is gone (whom I don’t think can produce what his Value is currently over the long haul anyway) and Eichel is here which I think is smart of Adams to try and work on keeping a rare franchise center (a lot of teams don’t have one) and mend fences and build around him and the core here.
So they’re blaming Eichel for skinners bad contract! Lol (joking) Does Eichel want to start fresh? That’s a tough ask of a guy who’s supposedly frustrated. Agree though, he’s a rarity and tough to trade away. Probably in their best interest to keep him.
They’re not keeping him lol
Starting to look like jack wont be traded at the draft
The Ristolainen deal will prove how awful the Sabres really are. I’m betting that playing with a half way decent team rejuvenates his career. And the Flyers deal now doesn’t look so bad when you consider what the Hawks paid for Seth Jones.
Terrible trade for sabres…..kings could have got him for that low a price
I guess it comes down to who can absorb the cap hit but that first will be in the 20’s so I’m shocked by how little it took
Anytime you can spin off an asset you no longer have a spot for (Spencer Knight has the crease in Florida) to get a quality player in return, you’ve made a great trade.
Well here’s to hoping Florida bombs next season and their 1st is a lottery one lol! (Yes it’s a pipe dream I know)
As a Buffalo fan, this blows chunks. A low first round pick next year and another “potential franchise goaltender” who is 5-6 years away simply doesn’t cut it. Sabres should have given Sam the long-term contract he deserved years ago.
He looked pretty good without Eichel this year. Was thinking they might move Eichel and build around Reinhart…. how awesome is he going to be playing with Hubredeau though!
Yeah. It must truly suck to be a Sabres fan.
Kevyn Smith-swaps his most consistent player for an ECHL goalie & a protected 1st that could be a 2nd.
Kevyn Smith is UNDER the Titanic.
What are you talking about? Levi is a very legit prospect and they get a first no matter what.
Thanks Siri, A D A M S. Sweet Jesus. Although MacJab will tell you I don’t have the greatest voice.
A fidget goalie I never heard of and a lottery protected first is less than I would have thought Reinhart would fetch, I must admit.
Florida putting together a really nice top six.
If the Kings are giving up a few top end prospects and picks, then it better be for McDavid, Draisaitl, Kucherov, MacKinnon or Matthews… Not a 2 goal scorer with a wonky neck getting paid $10 mil per season.