The Vegas Golden Knights on Monday traded goaltender Akira Schmid to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2028 third-round draft pick.
Schmid, 26, led all Knights goaltenders with 29 starts last season, but was third on the depth chart behind Carter Hart and 2023 Stanley Cup champion Adin Hill. He was traded after the Knights extended him a qualifying offer, making him a pending restricted free agent.
The team signed top goalie prospect Carl Lindbom to a three-year, $2.7 million deal on Sunday. He will also compete for the NHL backup job no matter who is retained.
A native of Switzerland who played in the Olympics, Schmid appeared in 39 games over two seasons with the Knights, recording a .898 save percentage and 2.45 goals against average. He notched two shutouts last season.
“Akira is a talented and athletic goaltender who has shown poise in high-pressure moments,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome him to our organization.”
The Knights also extended qualifying offers to four other restricted free agents prior to the 2 p.m. deadline Monday.
Defenseman Lukas Cormier and forwards Joe Fleming, Jakub Brabenec and Jakub Demec will have their signing rights maintained by the team when free agency opens Wednesday.
Brabenec, a fourth-round pick in 2021, signed a two-year deal with HC Kometa Brno of Extraliga in Czechia on June 3. Even while overseas, the Knights hang on to his signing rights.
Rival teams can present offer sheets to the Knights’ four skaters from the Henderson Silver Knights, but they will more than likely re-sign with the team during the summer. They can sign as early as 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
