Sam Reinhart Traded to Panthers for Devon Levi, 2022 1st-Rnd Pick

A story broken by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Buffalo Sabres’ forward Sam Reinhart has been traded to the Florida Panthers quickly following the first round of the NHL Entry Draft on Friday night. There was talk Reinhart could be moved and Friedman noted during the draft broadcast that Reinhart was getting a lot more trade attention than teammate Jack Eichel. The deal is official.

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Pending trade call, Reinhart is going to the Panthers

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 24, 2021

The details of the trade are Reinhart, 25, to Florida. Coming back is goaltender Devon Levi and a 2022 first-round pick. The first-round pick is top-10 protected. Should it end up that high, the Sabres will receive Florida’s 2023 pick instead.

Reinhart scored 25 goals and 40 points in 54 games for the Sabres this past season. He was one of the few players to excel when everyone else in Buffalo seemed to falter and the team was surrounded in turmoil, then a lot of talk about players wanting to make their exit from the organization. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was traded earlier in the day to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Panthers were linked to Reinhart almost immediately and we’ll have to see what is coming back the other way. Some wondered if a first-round pick might be part of the deal. Since the trade took place after the first round of the draft had ended, clearly that was not the case.

As more details come in, we’ll be sure to provide updates…

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