General manager Jason Botterill expressed confidence over the summer that the two sides would get a deal done and now, Reinhart enters training camp with five preseason games left on the schedule before the Oct. 4 opener.
Reinhart established new career highs in games played (82), goals (25), points (50), power-play goals (12) and power-play points (21) during his third full professional season in 2017-18. In his last 38 games of the campaign, the forward recorded 37 points (18+19), and his 20 goals in the 2018 calendar year tied him for 12th in the NHL.
Reinhart joined his teammates for informal skates before the start of training camp and said he was leaving all of the negotiations to his agent.
"You really have to value that time together and get a feel for the guys," he said earlier this month. "That's why I am here and skating with the guys. But I think it's a fresh mentality and a lot of excitement around the guys. We're moving forward and that's the way it's got to be."
Botterill noted that commitment as a big positive even though Reinhart wasn't in attendance at the start of camp.
"I think it was great that Sam was around our guys the last week or so, training here," Botterill said on Sept. 13. "It goes to show how much he wants to be a part of our group here in Buffalo."
And now he's under contract for the next two seasons.
