Yahoo Sports WHL Alumni Of The Week: Sam Reinhart
As part of a new series on THN, we decided to reflect on a different player every week and give a background as to how they made their mark on the WHL and completed their journey to the pros. First on the agenda is Florida Panthers star Sam Reinhart, who was just recently named to the NHL's Four Nations Face-Off in February as part of Team Canada.
WHL career at a glance:
5 seasons
250 games played
120 goals
199 assists
Reinhart was drafted 15th overall in the 2010 WHL Draft by the now-defunct Kootenay ICE. In his first WHL game, playing against his brother Griffin and alongside older brother Max, Sam scored the game-winning goal against the Edmonton Oil Kings. Reinhart would then go on to play seven playoff games with the ICE, en route to an Ed Chynoweth Cup trophy as a 15-year-old in his first season.
Following that up would be a challenge, but Sam was up for it. In his first full season with Kootenay, he finished second in team scoring with 62 points (behind, you guessed it, his brother). The West Vancouver native tallied 28 goals, which were the most among all 16-year-old rookies, and took home the WHL's Rookie of the Year award.
In 2012-13, Reinhart would explode offensively. A newly minted assistant captain, he led the ICE in goals (35), assists (50), and points (85). The forward was also selected to represent the WHL in the 2012 Subway Super Series against Team Russia, playing one game in his hometown of Vancouver with brother Griffin. In April of 2013, Sam was named captain of the ICE.
Now looked on as a true leader, Reinhart would remain captain in Kootenay for the remainder of his time in the WHL. His numbers would only continue to grow, breaking the century mark and totaling 105 points during the 2013-14 season; additionally, he tacked on 23 points in 13 playoff contests. Those numbers earned him a second-overall draft selection at the 2014 NHL Draft, where he was taken by the Buffalo Sabres. Reinhart would stay for one more season in the WHL, getting nine games with the Sabres and three with their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans as well as 47 with the ICE. In those games, the captain collected 65 points and nine more in seven playoff games.
After six seasons in Buffalo, Reinhart was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick and goaltender Devon Levi. This has so far proven to be a win-win trade, as Levi is now blossoming in the Sabres system and Reinhart went on to win the 2024 Stanley Cup with the Panthers. How instrumental was he in that run? Let's just say Captain Kootenay has no issue scoring clutch goals against Edmonton hockey teams.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Ten WHL Alumni Selected To 2024 NHL Four Nations Face-Off
Kelowna Rockets' Tij Iginla Out For The Season
WHL's Blades And Americans Return To CHL Power Rankings
Twelve WHL Players Invited To 2025 Team Canada World Juniors Selection Camp
