Could third year be the charm for a Barkov-Reinhart combo on Florida Panthers’ top line?
Shortly after the Florida Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Monday for their first win of the season, captain Aleksander Barkov gave high praise to teammate Sam Reinhart.
“I always say that he’s one of the smartest players in the league,” Barkov said. “He has that stick that suits him well in front of the net. He can do whatever he wants with that. He touches pucks and makes plays.”
Reinhart had two goals in the win over New Jersey, both coming from right in front of the net as he deflected in shots from Evan Rodrigues in the first period and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the third. Through three games, Reinhart leads the Panthers with three goals, two of which have come on the power play and all three of which have been deflections or tip-ins.
“It’s been effective for me the last couple of years,” said Reinhart, who has 33 power-play goals since joining the Panthers ahead of the 2021-22 season following an offseason trade with the Buffalo Sabres. “Just trying to be in the right spot at the right time and find the back of the net when I can.”
And that early spark has Reinhart in a spot where the potential for success is enormous but the actual results haven’t lived up to expectations.
Ever since Reinhart joined the Panthers, the Panthers have tried on multiple occasions to have him play on the top line with Barkov without much success.
The opportunity is there again early this season.
Coach Paul Maurice moved Reinhart to Florida’s top line at right wing with Barkov at center and Rodrigues at left wing in the third period of their 6-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets and kept him there for the game against the Devils on Monday.
It’s a small sample size with that trio, just 12 minutes of action together at 5-on-5 and another 20 minutes together on the power play, but Reinhart liked the grouping so far.
“Hopefully we can continue,” said Reinhart, who spent five seasons with Rodrigues in Buffalo before being traded to the Panthers.
Again, the potential of a Barkov-Reinhart duo working together as part of a top forward line is tantalizing. Barkov is a pass-first center who can set up just about anybody for success. Reinhart has a knack for scoring goals — he has at least 22 goals in seven of his eight full NHL seasons — and uses his hockey IQ and underrated grit to make plays.
The duo has been successful together on Florida’s top power-play unit as well since they became teammates.
But at full strength, at five-on-five play, the results just haven’t come.
Over the past two seasons — 2021-22 and 2022-23 — Barkov and Reinhart were on the ice together for nearly 600 minutes for five-on-five play. In that time, the Panthers were outscored 24-30 despite outshooting opponents 327-283 and having a 315-237 edge in scoring chances.
When Barkov was on the ice at full strength without Reinhart those two years, Florida outscored opponents 83-44. When Reinhart was on the ice at full strength without Barkov those two years, Florida outscored opponents 78-57.
Meanwhile, in that same timeframe, Barkov and Reinhart have shown that they have immense chemistry on the power play. Reinhart was been involved in half of Barkov’s 56 power-play points over the past two seasons. Reinhart has assisted on six of Barkov’s 20 power-play goals (four primary assists, two secondary assists), while Barkov assisted on 16 of Reinhart’s power-play goals. (nine primary assists, seven secondary assists). Meanwhile, they combined to assist on six other goals while on the man advantage.
To put it another way, 28 of Florida’s 127 power-plays goals the past two seasons — 22 percent — featured both Barkov and Reinhart on the scoresheet.
If Barkov and Reinhart can figure things out when working together at full strength, it gives the Panthers yet another weapon and line combination that can be lethal on the offensive front while being responsible defensively.
They’ll have the chance to continue working on it when Florida plays its home opener Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This story was originally published October 17, 2023 at 9:58 AM.
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