Sam Reinhart is getting another crack at the middle for the Florida Panthers, and this time the timing matters because Aleksander Barkov is out with an injury.
Coach Paul Maurice has made it clear he wants patience as Reinhart settles in. Reinhart, though, sounds ready for the change and seems to welcome the challenge of shifting back to center ice.
He got his first look at the role yesterday, centering a line with Brady Tkachuk and Brad Marchand. Reinhart logged 22:19 and put three shots on goal, even if he didn’t crack the scoresheet.
The move isn’t foreign to him. Reinhart was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres as a center, but he has spent only limited time there since entering the league. Still, his underlying numbers in that game suggested he held his own at 5-on-5, posting an expected goals percentage of 63.3 percent and a Corsi For percentage of 63.64, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
The concern, at least on paper, is the faceoff dot. Reinhart has long been below average there, and that hasn’t changed in 2026-27. He owns a career faceoff win rate of 43 percent, and this season that number sits at 31.6 percent.
Even with that drawback, he brings enough to make the experiment work. Reinhart is solid defensively, and while Barkov’s impact down the middle is in a class of its own, Reinhart gives Florida a credible stand-in. He also offers real value as a passer, with the ability to feed his wingers and keep the offense moving.
For now, the Panthers have the luxury of time. Barkov being out long-term gives Reinhart a chance to get comfortable again at center, and Maurice’s patient approach suggests Florida is willing to let that transition breathe.
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Brad Marchand gave Florida the lift it needed with his first goal of the season to pull the Panthers level late in regulation, setting up a chance to finish the comeback. Instead, the power play never delivered for Florida, going 0-for-4, while Anaheim cashed in repeatedly with the extra skater and eventually found the finish it needed to put the Panthers in a familiar kind of sting. [Read more 🡒]
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Aleksander Barkovs injury has put the Panthers in an all-too-familiar midseason holding pattern, with the captain expected to miss some time while an MRI is set to help clarify the full extent of the issue. Any absence for Barkov changes the look of Floridas center depth and forces the front office to at least consider how much strain it can absorb before needing outside help.
NHL Networks Elliotte Friedman added a new layer to the conversation by floating Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin as a potential name if Barkovs situation drags on, but the idea comes with a significant hurdle. Detroit is not interested in a rebuild and would want a player who can help right away in return, which makes any serious pursuit a complicated match for Florida if it ever gets that far. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Face An Early Blue Line Test
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Paul Maurice also confirmed Brad Marchand will make his 2026-27 season debut, adding another notable layer to the days roster news. Between the turnover on defense and the addition of a player many around the team have been waiting to see in game action, the Panthers have a little more sorting out to do than they did a night ago. [Read more 🡒]