Panthers Winger Named First Star of Week

A Florida Panthers winger was named the NHL's first star of the week.

Oct 17, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) moves the puck past Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland (8) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers are off to a strong start as they attempt to defend their Stanley Cup championship. The team is 4-2-1 through their first seven games, including points in four straight games.

A huge part of their solid start is the performance of forward Sam Reinhart. His week was so impressive that the NHL named him the First Star for the week ending October 20th. NHL.com sung the forward's praises after a nine-point week.

"Reinhart led the NHL with 4-5—9 and a +7 rating in four games to lift the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers (4-2-1, 9 points) to a 3-0-1 week as they moved into first place in the Atlantic Division," they wrote.

Reinhart has been a star for the Panthers since they acquired him. Originally a first-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, he didn't start to reach his potential until he was traded to the Sunshine State.

Last year, he had a career-best campaign. Reinhart finished second in the NHL in goals scored with 57 and added 37 helpers to finish the year with 94 points, another career-high. While some believed he would regress after such an impressive season, Reinhart is showing that last year was anything but a fluke

He parlayed that offensive explosion into a long-term contract with the Panthers. He signed an eight-year deal over the summer that will pay him $8.625 million annually.

The 28-year-old forward is a veteran of 703 NHL games. He's collected 260 goals and 290 assists for a total of 550 points so far. With his contract locked in, he will likely continue to put up points while the Panthers maintain their championship window.

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