CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Nearly a year removed from signing his three-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers, Kai Schwindt has been keeping busy on and off the ice.
“It’s been busy, trying to get bigger and stronger in the gym over the summer,” the 19-year-old winger said following the first day of Rookie Camp at the Panthers IceDen on Thursday. “Couldn’t be happier to be back. It’s always a good time here competing and getting back in the swing of things.”
Spending his second straight summer participating in camps in South Florida, the Ontario native is currently looking forward to hitting the ice for the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase in Estero.
This time around, there’s even more familiar faces in the locker room.
“It’s pretty easy to get along with the OHL guys, but you kind of want to meet everyone,” said Schwindt. “I got to skate with Ryan McAllister over the summer. He’s a great guy. These are your brothers now, so I try to talk with everyone, and they all have been great.”
But these aren’t the only brothers he’s been training with this summer.
Growing up in a hockey household, Schwindt’s older brother Cole, a former Panthers draft pick and current prospect of the Calgary Flames, and younger brother Brady, who plays for the Elmira Sugar Kings in the GOJHL, have both helped the tenacious forward improve his game for years.
“It’s obviously a competitive household,” said Schwindt. “We’re always at each other with hockey and making each other better. It’s the best-case scenario for me because I always have someone to work hard with and it has been great.”
The tallest in the family at 6’4”, Schwindt learned early on to use his size to his advantage.
“My first year in the OHL I learned that I’m going to have to use my size to create space for myself in corners and work on puck battles,” said Schwindt. “Being a bigger guy, I’ve tried to put on some weight and size to be physical to create that space.”
