The Florida Panthers were crowned back-to-back Stanley Cup champions and secured contract extensions for key pieces like Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad. It’s an ideal scenario to pursue a three-peat, rallying behind their star Matthew Tkachuk, despite having lost another important player.
The departure of a champion is always something to regret. However, among so many crucial extensions, it ultimately becomes a necessary collateral move to ease the salary cap burden after Florida’s front office pushed hard to keep deals in place for Marchand, Bennett, Ekblad, and others.
This offseason, the Panthers have officially said goodbye to Nate Schmidt, who at 33 years old is heading to play for the Utah Mammoth. Besides telling NHL.com that his time with the Panthers was “the best hockey run I’ve ever had in my life,” the veteran defenseman had more to share.
Schmidt’s farewell message
“It was so euphoric — everything I had hoped for. It’s just magical, right? It’s magical because I did something about it. It was a time when you’re just with the guys. You’re just playing hockey… there’s really nothing else. When you’re there, you see it, it’s like everything rises to a point that gives the rink a different kind of energy,” Schmidt confessed in an interview with Hockey on Fanatics View.
Nate Schmidt #88 of the Florida Panthers celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Schmidt made a solid contribution to Tkachuk’s Panthers. Last regular season, he played all 80 games, recording 5 goals and 14 assists for a total of 19 points. In the playoffs, he stepped up even further, scoring 3 goals and adding 9 assists in 23 games.
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Schmidt’s deal with the Mammoth
Schmidt signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Mammoth, joining a franchise that had just completed its inaugural season under this name. “I don’t want that championship to be a one-time thing,” he said about his expectations in joining Utah.
