Schmidt hoping to win elusive Stanley Cup with Panthers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Nate Schmidt knew exactly where he wanted to go after having the final season of his six-year contract bought out by the Winnipeg Jets last summer.

So, on July 3, 2024, just three days after he had been bought out, the 33-year-old defenseman signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers.

The reason?

“I want to win a Cup, and I want to do it with a team that’s going to have fun doing it," Schmidt said at the time.

Schmidt is certainly having fun with the Panthers, and now he will get that chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Florida is making its third straight appearance in the Final and will look to defend its championship against the team it defeated in seven games last season: the Edmonton Oilers. Game 1 of the best-of-7 series will be at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

“You have to get your mind around it,” Schmidt said. “You can’t let your mind wander around what could happen, and I am, more than in any other playoff race I have been in, I am just staying right where I am in the moment.

“In years past, I got ahead of things, looked ahead to what was next. This year, I have kicked those thoughts back. I know now all of these are moments I am going to look back on and enjoy. So, I am just enjoying every moment of where we are right now."

Schmidt has been a key addition to the Panthers this season.

After losing Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Montour in free agency, Florida was looking for defensive reinforcements, and since Schmidt had been bought out by Winnipeg on June 30, he was someone it zeroed in on.

It made sense, considering Panthers coach Paul Maurice knew Schmidt from their short time together in Winnipeg during the 2021-22 season. Schmidt said he wanted to reunite with Maurice, whom he felt helped “reenergize my game."

Last season, Schmidt played only 63 regular-season games before sitting out for two of the Jets’ five playoff games. This season, he had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 80 regular-season games and has played in all 17 playoff games for the Panthers, ranking tied for second among their defensemen with seven points (three goals, four assists).

Despite the playing time, the key to coming to Florida was always the chance to win that elusive Stanley Cup.

Schmidt had made the Final once before, doing so with the Vegas Golden Knights during their inaugural season in 2017-18, when they lost in five games to the Washington Capitals, who Schmidt played his first four seasons with before being selected by Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.

“This group has the vibe of my first year in Vegas, how the team operates, how the guys treat each other," Schmidt said. “It’s magic, and I’ve been chasing it down ever since.”

Having won their first Stanley Cup championship with a 2-1 victory against the Oilers in Game 7 of the Final last season, the Panthers will, obviously, enter this rematch with a roster loaded with players who know what it takes to win hockey's ultimate prize.

But their roster will also feature a few who are trying to win the Stanley Cup for the first time.

Schmidt is one of them, and he doesn't want to let another opportunity slip away.

That is a big motivator.

“You realize how hard it is to get there," Maurice said. “It’s a big task to get back. ... You are left, after the loss, with the realization that you may never get back there, so you cherish that time when you get back and realize how difficult it is. You’re aware of the loss, for sure, but I think it gives you a great appreciation for getting back there again."