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Florida Panthers’ Nate Schmidt reminding everyone, including himself, what he can do | Habib
Florida Panthers’ Paul Maurice on Nate Schmidt’s leadership
Florida Panthers’ Paul Maurice on Nate Schmidt’s leadership
FORT LAUDERDALE — Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt is just shy of his 34th birthday and can look back on having skated in his 700th NHL game. So nobody should be surprised that with such a veteran’s viewpoint, he knows better than to take this year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final for granted.
Schmidt will tell you that unlike his younger self, he knows how this game works.
“You never know when you’re gonna be back,” he said.
If it were as simple as taking a wiser look on a team level, that would be one thing. But with Schmidt, it cuts deeper.
Way deeper.
“You know how it is,” he said. “I mean, there comes a point where sometimes you also try to promote yourself to make people remember.”
Make people remember, he means, how much he can contribute.
And by people, he’s including Nate Schmidt.
“Other people, but it’s kind of reminding yourself.”
Schmidt is reminding “people,” all right, and that would include the Edmonton Oilers. The series is tied a 1-1 following a 4-3 loss in Game 1 and a 5-4 win in Game 2, both in overtime. Put it together and that’s eight goals scored by the Panthers — half of which saw Schmidt contribute an assist.
That’s not all Schmidt has contributed. The Panthers could have caved after conceding a trying goal with 18 seconds left in regulation. Instead, their resolve once again was tested, which is where the Panthers are grateful for the kind of veteran leadership they added when Schmidt signed as a free agent in the offseason.
“That was part of the conversation in the summer last year because I’ve had him briefly and he’s a big ‘smile’ guy,” coach Paul Maurice said. “Lots of chatter we need. We lost a few of those guys we still talk about.”
Maurice dropped the names Josh Mahura. Nick Cousins.
“Those guys never shut up,” Maurice said. “Which was great for us. Nate does that.”
Nate Schmidt needed time to fit in with Florida Panthers
Schmidt takes a before-and-after view of that, too. Remember, he joined a team that had just won the Stanley Cup.
“It was pretty difficult for the first couple of weeks, being like, ‘Hey, how do you find your way with this team? How do you know where you fit in with this group and what can you do to provide? Is it enough? Is it the same that they lost?’ All those things in your head.”
All those questions played in Schmidt’s head the first dozen games of the season. Then came a team trip to Finland for a couple of games. Schmidt realized he’s where he ought to be.
“You start to look at, ‘OK, this is the time, this team, there’s a role for you here,’ ” he said.
That role is playing defense and contributing when opportunities arise at the other end of the ice. Most of all, it involves doing what you do best.
“We don’t ask you to do more,” he said he learned of the organization at that point in the season. “That’s one of the biggest things I learned and understand — that that’s good enough. You don’t have to try and be like, ‘I need to be playing more. I didn’t do this, I didn’t do that.’ It was like, ‘No, no. You’re right where we need you to be.’ ”
Schmidt can laugh about growing pains, such as a mistake he made in a preseason game that drew a correction from Sam Bennett. Schmidt is coy about what the mistake was.
“This team has such a defined way that they play and you gotta get on board,” Schmidt said. “Bennett said it wasn’t good.”
Schmidt has found his footing especially in the postseason, scoring the game-winner in Game 2 against Tampa Bay, chalking up four points vs. Toronto. After getting shut out of the scoring in the Carolina series, Schmidt is back in form.
Back to reminding everyone what he can do.
Including himself.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
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