The Florida Panthers are adding some depth between the pipes.
Florida acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday in exchange for a third-round pick in 2028.
“Akira is a talented and athletic goaltender who has shown poise in high-pressure moments,” Panthers general manager and president of hockey operations Bill Zito said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome him to our organization.”
Schmid, 26, appeared in 34 games for the Golden Knights in 2025-26, recording a 16-10-6 record with a 2.59 goals-against average and .893 save percentage.
He will become a restricted free agent on Wednesday if Florida does not sign him to a contract.
The Swiss netminder was traded to Vegas as a pending free agent in 2024 before signing a two-year deal with the 2026 Western Conference champions. He spent the first three seasons of his career with the New Jersey Devils.
With NHL free agency set to open on Wednesday, the Panthers still have an unsettled situation in goal as both veteran starter Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov are set to hit the open market.
