On Friday, the Florida Panthers announced that they agreed to a two-year contract with Akira Schmid, their newest goalie acquired on June 29 in exchange for a 2028 third-round draft pick. Since Schmid was a restricted free agent, he filed for arbitration, with a case hearing scheduled for August 1. However, the team and player avoided the process by signing a two-year deal worth $4 million.
We have agreed to terms with goaltender Akira Schmid on a two-year contract.
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) July 24, 2026
📝 » https://t.co/NpL6y2Xznv pic.twitter.com/OgabUsoaGn
On paper, Schmid is about to be the highest-paid No. 2 goalie for the Panthers since Spencer Knight in 2024-25, who made $4.5 million. Last year, Daniil Tarasov backed up Sergei Bobrovsky and made $1.05 million on a one-year deal. Because of so many injuries, Tarasov played 33 games, going 13-15-3 with a .895 SV% and 3.05. Meanwhile, with the Pacific Division champion Vegas Golden Knights, Schmid posted a 16-10-6 record in 34 games, with a .893 SV% and 2.59 GAA with two shutouts.
Now, the 26-year-old Schmid will share the crease with 36-year-old Jacob Markström, who hasn't played over 50 games in a season since 2022-23. The Swedish netminder is on the Panthers' payroll for $6 million, meaning that since last year, the organization has saved over $2 million in cap space with their new duo, since Bobrovsky made $10 million alone last year.
Moreover, since their Stanley Cup-winning campaign in 2024-25, Florida has slashed its goalie budget from over $15 million among Bobrovsky, Knight, and, briefly, Vitek Vanecek, to $8 million with Markström and Schmid.
Initially drafted in the fifth round (136th overall) at the 2018 Draft by the New Jersey Devils, Schmid debuted during the 2021-22 season and had a magical playoff series against the New York Rangers in 2023. In 82 career games, he’s 32-28-10 with a .898 SV% and 2.66 GAA.
Considering that Panthers General Manager Bill Zito was pivoting away from Bobrovsky after a brilliant seven-year run, everyone knew that the goaltending was going to be a major question going into next season. With Markström back in the fold, he’s out to prove he can still win on the backside of his career, while Schmid will be the team’s No. 2, and there will be no one there to bump him out.
Even though the Panthers now have just $236k left in cap space, Schmid was going to get a pay increase from his previous salary of $875k and should have a chance to win hockey games behind a healthy and hungry lineup.
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