One shot turned an already strong résumé into a signature NHL moment. In Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Sam Reinhart scored the goal that delivered the Florida Panthers their first championship, the kind of play that tends to follow a player for the rest of his career.
That finish fit the broader arc. Reinhart has rarely been the loudest star in the room, but he has been one of the league’s steadiest top-end forwards: a second overall pick, a 50-goal scorer, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, and a regular presence for Team Canada from junior tournaments to the senior level.
Born on November 6, 1995, in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Reinhart grew up in a household where hockey was part of the daily rhythm. His father, Paul Reinhart, played more than 600 NHL games on defense, and his brothers Max and Griffin were also drafted into the league. That made the Reinharts one of the few families to produce three brothers selected in the NHL Draft.
A hockey family, and a switch that mattered
Before he became known as a smart, versatile NHL forward, Reinhart started out on defense in minor hockey at Hollyburn Country Club. The move up front changed the course of his development. It put his vision, touch around the puck, and calm decision-making at the center of his game.
He attended Collingwood School in West Vancouver and, like many elite young athletes, did not grow up in a single-sport bubble. Baseball, lacrosse, soccer and tennis all had a place in the mix. Soccer, in particular, remained a lasting interest, and tennis became part of his offseason routine.
His elite path sharpened early. Reinhart played for the Vancouver Northwest Giants in the BC Major Midget League before joining the Kootenay Ice full time. Around the same stage of his development, he also won gold with British Columbia at the Canada Winter Games, another sign that he was moving quickly from promising prospect to one of the country’s top young players.
Kootenay made him a star
Reinhart’s junior career with the Kootenay Ice gave shape to the player he would become. He broke into the WHL as a teenager and wasted little time standing out. In 2011-12, he won the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of the Year.
By the middle of his junior career, he was no longer simply “Paul Reinhart’s son” or a highly regarded prospect from a hockey family. He was one of the best players in major junior hockey.
The clearest statement came in 2013-14, when he put up 36 goals and 69 assists for 105 points in 60 games. The numbers were impressive on their own, but the awards told the same story from every angle. He won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year and was named WHL and CHL Sportsman of the Year. He also landed on the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team.
What stood out even then was not just production. Reinhart played with poise. He could slow a play down, find seams others missed, and still get to scoring areas himself. He was not built on flash alone. Coaches trusted him because the details were usually in place.
Second overall to Buffalo
At the 2014 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected Reinhart second overall, behind Aaron Ekblad. It was a major moment for both player and franchise. Buffalo was rebuilding, and Reinhart arrived as one of the key pieces of that process.
He signed his entry-level contract that summer and made the Sabres out of camp, but his first NHL season was brief. After nine games in 2014-15, Buffalo returned him to Kootenay, preserving the first year of his contract. It was a short detour, not a setback. He finished his junior career, then stepped into the NHL for good the following season.
From 2015-16 through 2020-21, Reinhart became one of the constants in Buffalo. He played center at times, shifted to the wing when needed, worked the power play, and gradually turned strong underlying skill into reliable scoring. Across 454 regular-season games with the Sabres, he recorded 134 goals and 295 points.
Those years did not bring team success, but they did establish what kind of NHL player he was. Reinhart was not dependent on one role or one line. He could be a finisher, a passer, a net-front option on the power play, or a steady two-way presence higher in the lineup. He also wore No. 23 in Buffalo, the same number his father had worn in the NHL.
Contract-wise, he signed a two-year deal with the Sabres in September 2018 and then a one-year contract in October 2020 before his next career turn arrived.
The Florida trade changed the scale of his career
In July 2021, Buffalo traded Reinhart to the Panthers. Florida sent goaltending prospect Devon Levi and a first-round pick to the Sabres, a deal that gave Reinhart a fresh setting and gave the Panthers another polished top-six forward.
Soon after the trade, he signed a three-year contract with Florida. The fit became clear over time. On a deeper, faster team, his strengths showed up even more sharply. He could slide between center and wing, complement star talent, and still drive offense on his own.
Then came the season that changed how many fans viewed him.
In 2023-24, Reinhart scored 57 goals and 94 points in 82 games, by far the best goal total of his NHL career to that point. He was especially dangerous on the power play, scoring 27 times with the man advantage. That total tied him for one of the highest single-season power-play goal counts of the salary-cap era.
He followed the regular season with the biggest goal of his life. In Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, Reinhart scored the winner in a 2-1 Florida victory. It was the Cup-clinching goal, and because it came in a winner-take-all game, it instantly became part of Panthers history.
Florida’s front office moved quickly after that run. On July 1, 2024, Reinhart signed an eight-year, $69 million contract extension with an average annual value of $8.625 million.
He was also a key part of Florida’s next championship run, helping the Panthers win the Stanley Cup again. By then, the story around him had shifted. In Buffalo, he had been a very good player on a struggling team. In Florida, he became a central figure on a champion.
Team Canada at every level
Reinhart’s international career is long enough to read like a second timeline.
He represented Canada early, appearing at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the IIHF U18 World Championship. He won bronze at the U18 worlds, then gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, where he served as captain.
That leadership role carried over. In 2013, he captained Canada again at the IIHF U18 World Championship and helped the team win gold.
At the World Juniors, he played in both 2014 and 2015. The 2015 tournament was his standout. Reinhart served as an alternate captain, tied for the tournament lead in goals with five, and finished among the scoring leaders as Canada won gold on home ice.
His senior Team Canada résumé includes gold at the 2016 IIHF World Championship and silver at the 2019 worlds. It is a medal record built over many years, not a single hot stretch.
Why his game works
Reinhart has spent much of his career described as a high-IQ player, and in his case the label fits. He reads plays quickly, gets to useful ice, and makes himself available in scoring areas without needing the puck on his stick for long stretches.
That is part of why he has been effective at both center and right wing. He can support possession, make short-area plays in traffic, finish around the net, and contribute on special teams. His power-play work has been especially valuable, whether as a bumper option, a net-front presence, or a quick-release finisher.
He is not a player defined by one spectacular trait. The full package is what matters: anticipation, touch, positioning, and enough competitiveness to stay involved in the hard areas of the ice. Over time, that combination has made him one of the more dependable offensive players in the league.
Off the ice: family roots and a wider athletic background
The personal side of Reinhart’s story starts with family, and that much is well established. Growing up with a former NHL father and two brothers headed into pro hockey meant the sport was always close. It was not an abstract dream; it was part of everyday life.
Beyond hockey, his background was broader than many elite prospects. He played several sports growing up and has maintained an interest in tennis and soccer away from the rink. Those details do not define his career, but they help explain the balance in his game. Reinhart has long looked like a player who developed through repetition, structure and feel, not just raw talent.
There is no need to stretch the picture beyond that. Publicly available details about his private life are relatively limited, and much of what stands out about him still comes from the way he plays: composed, efficient, and usually in the right place when the moment matters.
FAQ
How many Stanley Cups has Sam Reinhart won?
Two, both with the Florida Panthers.
Who drafted Sam Reinhart?
The Buffalo Sabres selected him second overall in the 2014 NHL Draft.
What position does Sam Reinhart play?
He has played both center and right wing in the NHL.
What is Sam Reinhart’s current contract?
He signed an eight-year, $69 million extension with Florida on July 1, 2024.
Did Sam Reinhart score the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2024?
Yes. He scored the winning goal in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
Has Sam Reinhart won medals with Canada?
Yes. His international record includes gold at the World Juniors and World Championship level, along with other medals in junior events.
Photo: 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr
