SUNRISE - Cole Reinhardt scored twice in the second period of the Florida Panthers’ 6-3 preseason win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Amerant Bank Arena, giving the 26-year-old winger a strong opening statement in his bid for one of the few remaining roster spots on the 2026-27 club.
Reinhardt, claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights last March, posted six goals and eight points in just 15 games after joining Florida - including four goals in the final four games of the regular season. That late surge gave him a head start entering training camp, and Sunday’s performance extended the momentum, according to Florida Hockey Now.
“I’m happy for him,” head coach Paul Maurice said after the game. “I think his game has grown. He can shoot the puck, and he showed that last year. But he played a really, really smart game today.”
Reinhardt arrived in Sunrise with modest NHL credentials - 62 regular season games and nine career points, four of them goals, split between the Ottawa Senators and Golden Knights. His comfort level inside the Panthers organization showed, he said, after spending part of last season learning the system and the staff.
“It makes a big difference knowing everyone coming in,” Reinhardt said. “You’re not shaking 100 hands on the first day. It makes a big difference knowing the coaches, knowing the system a bit.”
Former Ottawa teammate Brady Tkachuk, who faced Reinhardt from the opposing bench Sunday, offered a pointed endorsement. “I think he’s a great player,” Tkachuk said. “I think he shows the different skill set that he could play with. Obviously he scored an amazing goal. Great shot, and then he’s net front with a great tip, and he’s physical as well. I think he’s versatile in that way where he can play any style and be really effective.”
The window to make that case is narrow. New NHL regulations restrict players with 100 or more games of NHL experience to two preseason appearances, compressing an already short four-game audition schedule. The Panthers’ final two preseason games will feature a more AHL-heavy roster, leaving veterans like Reinhardt with limited time to separate themselves.
“You have a very small window to make an impression; it’s the toughest year in the history of the NHL to make an NHL team out of training camp,” Maurice said. “There’s just not a lot of runway to do it.”
The Panthers’ top-9 forwards, first seven defensemen and two goalies are considered locked in, as are veterans Lars Eller and Garnet Hathaway on a rebuilt fourth line. That leaves one fourth-line wing spot and two additional slots on the 23-man roster in play. Florida hosts the Minnesota Wild in its home opener Oct. 10 at Amerant Bank Arena, with the regular season beginning Sept. 29 at Carolina.