Schmid Joins Panthers
Florida Panthers Acquire Playoff-Proven Goalie Akira Schmid from Golden Knights for Draft Pick
Key Points
Schmid's NHL resume with Devils and Golden Knights includes 82 regular-season games: 32-28-10 with a 2.66 GAA and a .898 save percentage, plus 3 career playoff shutouts across 10 games (4-4 record) and a 2.26 GAA with a .924 SV%.
This deal is notable for being a rare two-team exchange centered on a single goalie, with Florida sending a 2028 third-round pick to Vegas for Schmid.
Carl Lindbom, the Knights' top goalie prospect, signed a three-year deal worth $2.7 million with Vegas and is slated to push for the NHL backup job regardless of Schmid's status.
Schmid's playoff pedigree includes two playoff shutouts in a single series as a rookie, including a Game 7 shutout against the New York Rangers.
Internationally, Schmid helped Switzerland earn a silver medal at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, posting a .946 save percentage and 0.86 goals-against average in three tournament games, and he later represented Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
The Florida Panthers acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30 in exchange for a 2028 third-round draft pick, according to ESPN and TSN. The deal gives Florida a 26-year-old netminder who went 16-10-6 this season with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage across 34 games.
Panthers GM Bill Zito wasted no time praising the addition. "Akira's athleticism and poise in high-stakes environments, particularly in the playoffs and on the international stage, make him an ideal fit for our culture," Zito said, per Florida Panthers. The move comes one day before the NHL's July 1 free-agency window opens.
Florida Bets on Schmid's Playoff Résumé Over His Regular-Season Numbers
Schmid's regular-season numbers this year were modest, but his playoff track record stands out. In 10 career playoff games, he has a 4-4 record, a 2.26 GAA, a .924 save percentage, and 3 shutouts, per Hockey Reference. As a rookie with New Jersey in 2023, he posted two shutouts in a single series against the Rangers — including a Game 7 shutout — a rare feat for a first-year goalie.
Some analysts are skeptical. Analytics outlets like Evolving-Hockey have flagged his .893 SV% this season as a concern, arguing his 2023 playoff run may have been boosted by a strong Devils defense rather than elite individual play. Even so, Florida clearly values the "Game 7" experience he brings to a team built to win now, per Sun Sentinel.
Vegas Clears the Crease for Prospect Carl Lindbom
The Golden Knights signed goaltending prospect Carl Lindbom to a three-year entry-level contract worth $2.7 million total — just $900,000 per year — on June 20, ten days before trading Schmid, according to Knights on Ice. Lindbom, a former Goaltender of the Year in Sweden's SHL, is now expected to compete immediately for the backup spot behind starter Adin Hill.
Vegas faced a simple roster math problem. Keeping both Schmid and Lindbom made little sense. Rather than risk losing Schmid for nothing as a restricted free agent, the Knights turned him into a 2028 third-round pick. It's a move that fits Vegas's pattern of treating goaltenders as tradeable assets, according to TSN.
Schmid Steps Into a Crowded Florida Crease With Bobrovsky Aging
Florida's goaltending situation is in flux. Veteran Sergei Bobrovsky is 37 years old and in the final stretch of his career. Spencer Knight, once viewed as his long-term successor, has had an inconsistent trajectory. Schmid is expected to battle Knight for the backup role and could allow the Panthers to limit Bobrovsky's workload across an 82-game season, per the research briefing from The Athletic.
Florida gave up a 2028 third-round pick — not a 2026 or 2027 selection, both of which were previously moved at trade deadlines, per ESPN. The choice of a later, lower-value pick signals that the Panthers see Schmid as a longer-term piece, not just a one-year rental. He is a restricted free agent, meaning Florida controls his rights and is expected to sign him to a bridge deal in the $2.5 million to $3.2 million range per year.
Schmid's International Star Power Adds Another Layer to the Deal
Schmid is more than an NHL backup. He helped Switzerland win a silver medal at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, posting a .946 save percentage and a 0.86 GAA across three games, according to IIHF records cited by TSN. In February 2026, he represented Switzerland at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, cementing his reputation as one of Europe's top goaltenders.
Swiss media outlet Blick framed the trade as a positive development for Switzerland's national team program, noting that Schmid should now see more consistent playing time in Florida compared to the crowded depth chart in Vegas. Over 82 NHL career regular-season games with New Jersey and Vegas, he holds a 32-28-10 record, a 2.66 GAA, and a .898 save percentage, per TSN.
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