New Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt knows his place in the lineup isn't set in stone, but he's ready to step his game up as he pursues his first Stanley Cup.
"When you go with the champs, the first thing you say is, 'I got to win that roster spot,'" Schmidt said, according to NHL.com's Jessi Pierce. "Now, I've got to get back into hardware mode of wanting to get into that grind, and that's what's been my motivation this summer."
Schmidt spent the last three seasons with the Winnipeg Jets after being traded by the Vancouver Canucks in July 2021.
However, Winnipeg bought out the last season of his six-year, $37.5-million contract (signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018), making him a free agent. Florida then inked Schmidt to a one-year, $800,000 deal.
Schmidt made the Stanley Cup Final during the Golden Knights' inaugural season in 2017-18 but ultimately lost to the Washington Capitals. That experience has left the veteran feeling "grateful" for the opportunity in the Sunshine State.
"You don't realize how bad you want it until you're not close to winning it again," Schmidt said. "I just want to have a chance. That's all you ever ask for as a young kid. A chance to win the Stanley Cup."
The 32-year-old got a brief taste of playing under current Panthers head coach Paul Maurice in 2021-22. The bench boss helmed the Jets for 29 games that season before resigning. Though it's a small sample size, Schmidt totaled 17 points in that span while averaging 21:33 of ice time per contest.
"My biggest ups when I was in Winnipeg was when I was under Paul Maurice," he said. "And honestly, I just felt like he was somebody who understood my game and knows how to unlock the most out of his guys."
Schmidt mustered two goals and 14 points in 63 games this past season while averaging just 16:48 of ice time per contest in a third-pairing role. He also sat as an occasional healthy scratch.
The Panthers similarly reeled in a veteran reclamation project on the back end last summer, signing Oliver Ekman-Larsson as a free agent after the Vancouver Canucks bought out the last four years of his deal. He responded by adding 32 points in 80 regular-season contests for Florida and also appeared in every playoff game to help secure the franchise's first championship.
On top of Schmidt, Florida added Adam Boqvist after losing Brandon Montour and Ekman-Larsson in free agency.
Schmidt has amassed 220 points in 661 career NHL games.
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