Florida Panthers Acquire Rights to Swiss National Team Goaltender
The Florida Panthers have acquired the negotiating rights to Swiss goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2028 third-round draft pick.
The Florida Panthers announced a trade on Monday, June 30, acquiring goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights. The 26-year-old Swiss national team netminder played 34 games last season with Vegas, posting 16 wins, a .893 save percentage, a 2.59 goals-against average, and two shutouts. In return, the Golden Knights received a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
In his NHL career, Schmid has played 82 games for the Golden Knights and the New Jersey Devils, recording 32 wins, a .898 save percentage, and a 2.66 goals-against average. This year, he represented Switzerland at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, and in 2024 he won a silver medal at the World Championship with the national team.
On the same day, the Panthers also acquired defenseman Radko Gudas from the Anaheim Ducks. Last season, Florida finished 14th in the Eastern Conference with 84 points in 82 games, failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
