The Florida Panthers secured goaltender Akira Schmid on Monday, ending a season-long search for a netminder under team control. Vegas traded the 26‑year‑old restricted free agent for a 2028 third‑round pick after issuing a qualified offer that preserved one year of rights. Schmid arrives with a two‑year, $875,000 per‑year contract and a 16‑win tally that led the Golden Knights during a chaotic campaign.

Schmid’s lone season in Vegas was marked by inconsistency; the Knights cycled through four goalies, yet he posted the most wins. Curiously, he was a healthy scratch throughout the Stanley Cup Final run that ended in a six‑game loss to Carolina. Vegas, pressed for cap space, moved him while reshaping the roster, including dealing Pavel Dorofeyev to New York.

For Florida, Schmid provides a controllable starter as Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov head into unrestricted free agency. With only $5.871 million in cap room, the Panthers must decide whether to retain one or both veterans while integrating Schmid into a net tandem that could stabilize a roster still reeling from injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. The move solidifies the Panthers’ goaltending foundation for 2026‑27.