Florida Panthers President of Hockey Ops. & General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenseman Nate Schmidt on a one-year contract.
According to Zito, “Nate is a seasoned puck-moving defenseman who we expect to blend in seamlessly with our style of play.” “We can’t wait to have him join our club in 2024–2025.”
In 63 games with the Winnipeg Jets from 2023–24, Schmidt, 32, recorded 14 points (2–12–14) and a plus–10 rating.
The 6-foot, 192-pound native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, has played in 661 career games during 11 NHL seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights (2017–18 to 2019–20), Vancouver Canucks (2020–21), Winnipeg (2021–22 to 2023–24), and Washington Capitals (2013–14 to 2016–17). He has 220 points (47–173-220) and a plus–102 rating.
Over 76 career games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Schmidt has scored 28 points (7-21-28), assisting Vegas in making it to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and the 2020 Western Conference Finals.
In addition, Schmidt skated in 65 AHL games with the Hershey Bears, Washington’s affiliate, between 2012–13 and 2014–15. With four goals in the 2015 Calder Cup playoffs, he topped all AHL blueliners in scoring.
Schmidt, who went undrafted, played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA) for three seasons, from 2010–11 to 2012–13. In 96 games, he scored 74 points (12–62–74). Leading the Gophers blueliners in points in each of his final two seasons, he was selected to the WCHA First All-Star Team in 2012–13 and the WCHA Second All-Star Team in 2011–12.
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