The Florida Panthers have signed restricted free agent goaltender Akira Schmid to a two-year contract worth $4 million, avoiding an arbitration hearing scheduled for August 1.
Schmid, who will share the net with Jacob Markstrom, was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights for a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft on June 29.
The 26-year-old went 16-10-6 with a 2.59 goals-against average, .893 save percentage and two shutouts in 34 games this past season for the Pacific Division-winning Golden Knights. He did not appear in a Stanley Cup Playoff game for Vegas, which lost in six to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Final.
Schmid also played for Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.
Selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round (136th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Schmid is 32-28-10 with a 2.66 GAA, .898 save percentage and three shutouts in 82 regular-season games (65 starts) for the Devils and Golden Knights. He is 4-4 with a 2.26 GAA, .924 save percentage and two shutouts in 10 playoff games.
Akira, Akira!