Panthers' Sam Reinhart savors 'sweeter' second Stanley Cup with Florida on brink of hockey dynasty
The party is still going for Sam Reinhart and the Florida Panthers, as they secured back-to-back Stanley Cup wins following their Game 6 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
"Not too much sleep yet, but we're doing very well," Reinhart joked while speaking with Fox News Digital during an appearance celebrating the Cup win with Panthers fans at Raising Cane's in Tamarac, Fla.
"I was just saying, 'Who said this isn't a hockey town?' You step foot in it here, it'll change your mind very quick."
For Reinhart, it was a game he won't be forgetting after scoring four goals in the 5-1 win on home ice. So, the celebration began well before the final horn sounded in Amerant Bank Arena.
The Panthers have been carrying the Cup everywhere through Sunshine and the surrounding towns and cities, including captain Aleksander Barkov knocking on his neighbors' doors at 5 a.m. the morning after the win to share the excitement.
This is a feeling that Reinhart and many other teammates felt last year when they defeated the same Oilers, winning in Game 7 to collect the trophy. Reinhart admits it's better the second time around.
"I think there was a moment, maybe a day ago, where it was like, 'We've been there, done that before,' and very quickly it changed your mindset," he said. "In many instances, it's sweeter than the first, so we're going to enjoy every moment of this."
Florida was the first team since the 2020 and 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. So, the next question is obvious: Are the Panthers a dynasty?
Better yet, do they need that third straight Stanley Cup win to be cemented as one?
Reinhart gave the perfect answer when asked whether his squad is on the brink of earning the dynasty tag.
"I mean, that's kinda what our mindset [is]," he explained. "We've always been kinda day by day, and last year when they were asking about a repeat, we were focused on enjoying the first one.
"So, when the time comes, we know we'll be ready and be motivated. But we're going to stay in the moment like we did all playoff run."
Reinhart also touched on the talent the team added at the trade deadline, including playoff heroes Brad Marchand and Seth Jones, who jelled quickly with their new teammates.
"It's unbelievable," Reinhart said about the newcomers who helped the Panthers win it all. "To see the new guys come in and step up in some big situations, it's been pretty special. We've got a couple competitors on and off the ice, so we're having fun."
As Reinhart said, the celebration will continue and the Panthers will live in the moment. But while GM Bill Zito reiterated the same on Tuesday night, he also noted his desire to get center Sam Bennett, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Aaron Ekblad, Marchand and Nate Schmidt under contract to make a run at three straight next season.
Those conversations will come, but Reinhart knows the Panthers will be prepared to defend their title once more when the puck drops for the 2025-26 season.
Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What changes will IndyCar make to new car? Weight reduction, engine formula, more
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Penske Entertainment executives rolled out its plan for IndyCar's next-generation chassis and engine formula in a private meeting of its team owners midway Saturday at Road America, the series announced in a release. The car, which earlier this month the series confirmed to be on track for the start of the 2028 season, will include between 85 to 100 pounds of weight reduction, house a 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 internal combustion engine — the engine originally planned to be rolled out in tandem with the debut of IndyCar's bespoke hybrid unit — and a low-voltage hybrid unit that will continue to evolve off of the current model in use to eventually include 'longer deployment, more horsepower gain and overall improved performance.' Advertisement On-track testing for the car will begin in 2026, with Dallara producing the chassis that, according to the series, will 'feature a look designed to appeal to a new generation of fans while keeping styling cues recognized by all as an IndyCar series car." 'The time has come for a new IndyCar series chassis,' IndyCar president Doug Boles said. 'The DW12 served the series so well, as it provided a combination of phenomenal, wheel-to-wheel racing and critical enhancements to safety. But recent significant updates to the car — from the aero screen to the hybrid power unit — have helped advanced the need for a completely new car. 'We are pleased by what our engineers and Dallara have collaboratively designed and believe it will appeal to the fans and paddock, while also upholding our standards of safety and enhancing IndyCar's on-track competition well into the future." Insider: IndyCar shifts timeline for new car further back, creating complicated future. Here's why Advertisement Also noted in the release, Xtrac, an exclusive supplier for IndyCar since 2000, will continue to provide transmissions for the new chassis. The new car will feature a new gearbox that will shed 25 pounds and that will share components with the future Indy NXT gearbox. Performance Friction Corporation will again be the exclusive supplier of brake system components for the series, as it has since 2017. The new car will also include an ergonomic driver cockpit to improve seating position, as well as an integrated aero screen and a new roll hoop. Renderings of the new car as well as information on its test schedule and additional partners will be announced at a later date. This story will be updated. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar new car changes: weight reduction, engine formula, hybrid
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Denny Hamlin wins Busch Light Pole Award at Pocono
Denny Hamlin won Busch Light Pole qualifying at Pocono Raceway and will lead the field to green for Sunday's The Great American Getaway 400 (2 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The all-time Cup wins leader at Pocono put down a hot lap of 172.599 mph in his return to on-track action after missing Mexico City last weekend due to the birth of his son. It is the 44th pole of his career. Advertisement RELATED: Starting lineup | At-track photos: Pocono Chris Buescher (172.325 mph) will join Hamlin on the front row. Carson Hocevar (171.825 mph), John Hunter Nemechek (171.789 mph) and Cole Custer (171.638 mph) rounded out the top five. Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Daniel Suárez completed the top 10 in Sunday's starting lineup. William Byron crashed on his qualifying lap coming off Turn 2 and suffered significant front-end damage. Bubba Wallace and Josh Berry did not put down qualifying laps due to respective mechanical issues. Brennan Poole and the No. 44 team were not allowed to qualify after failing pre-race inspection three times. Also, Cody Ware crashed in practice and did not qualify. Advertisement PRACTICE Before crashing on his qualifying lap, Byron put down the fastest single lap in Saturday's practice session at 170.758 mph. Bubba Wallace (170.032 mph), Chase Elliott (169.885 mph), Tyler Reddick (169.766 mph) and Chris Buescher (169.667 mph) rounded out the top five. The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports driver also topped the board in five- and 10-lap averages at the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania circuit. Christopher Bell's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota suffered a mechanical issue before hitting the track in Group B's 25-minute session and only put down three laps, landing 13th on the practice board. This story will be updated.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ian Happ's leadoff home run (10)
Ian Happ drills a leadoff home run to left-center field, putting the Cubs ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the 1st inning
