The Panthers surprised the 9-year-old boy from Sunrise with brand new equipment, delivered to him Monday by Shawn Thornton, the former Florida forward turned vice president of business operations.
"It was a common sense thing," Thornton told NHL.com. "We felt for him. He's very excited about hockey, and we didn't want him to go without [equipment]."'
Schnell's gear, which he received from the Panthers as a member of their Learn to Play starter program, was stolen from his mom's car during a string of car break-ins in Dania Beach on Sept. 3. He was devastated, and his dad Brian desperately reached out to inquire about buying new equipment, even attempting to sign Brandon up for a second season of Learn to Play, before the Panthers told him they'd replace his gear for free.
"I didn't expect that at all," Brian Schnell told NHL.com. "That's not why I was asking. When they did that, I was just blown away."
The Panthers threw in an added bonus, inviting Brandon to the BB&T Center so Thornton could hand deliver his new bag of gear and see the stunned look on the boy's face.
"He was a little speechless," Thornton said. "You could tell right away he is a polite young man. He was very appreciative. That's what makes it worth it."
Brandon showed some natural hockey skill at Learn to Play and told his dad he would give up his prime sport, baseball, to continue playing hockey full time. The Panthers' gesture, and the fun of being on the ice, has made a big difference with Brandon Schnell and his family.
"The thing about the NHL and the Panthers, it's all about giving back and giving back to the community," Brian Schnell said.
