Panthers Swap a Third-Rounder for Goalie Akira Schmid. Here’s Why That Matters.

The Florida Panthers made a quiet move Monday night that could end up meaning a lot more than it looks like on paper. They traded a 2028 third-round pick to the Vegas Golden Knights for the signing rights to goalie Akira Schmid, who’s a restricted free agent.

Schmid is 26 years old and spent the last two seasons with the Golden Knights. He played 34 games in the 2025-26 campaign, the most he’s ever handled in a single NHL season, and put up a .898 save percentage with a 2.45 goals-against average and two shutouts. Those aren’t elite numbers but they’re solid for a backup, and the guy has shown he can handle a heavier workload when needed.

This is interesting timing because the Panthers have some uncertainty in net right now. Sergei Bobrovsky is still the starter but his contract and age raise questions about the long-term plan. Florida also re-signed Spencer Knight last summer, but it’s not like they have an obvious, proven option locked in behind Bobrovsky. Schmid gives them a guy who has played real NHL games, including playoff hockey.

Schmid actually made his mark in the 2023 playoffs with New Jersey. He helped the Devils beat the Rangers in seven games in the first round, which is not nothing. That experience matters. He’s not just some AHL call-up. He’s been through the grind of a postseason series and didn’t fold.

Originally drafted by the Devils in the fifth round back in 2018, Schmid bounced from New Jersey to Vegas in a 2024 trade that sent him and Alexander Holtz to the Golden Knights for Paul Cotter and a draft pick. Now he’s heading to Florida, a team that just added Brady Tkachuk and Radko Gudas in another aggressive move by GM Bill Zito.

So what does this mean for the Panthers’ goalie situation? It gives them options. Either Schmid signs and competes with Knight for the backup spot, or they flip him somewhere else. The team hasn’t confirmed anything beyond the trade itself, but you don’t give up a third-round pick unless you see some value in the guy.

Schmid’s NHL record so far across his time with the Devils and Golden Knights is 32-28-10 with a 2.66 goals-against average, a .898 save percentage, and three shutouts. Not flashy but steady. And for a team trying to stay in Cup contention, steady depth in net can make a difference in April and May.