The Golden Knights made their goaltending picture a little clearer on Monday, and they did it by moving on from Akira Schmid.
Vegas announced it had given Schmid a qualifying offer, then later dealt the 26-year-old to the Florida Panthers for a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft. The move comes after a season in which Schmid, a pending restricted free agent, was the team’s busiest goalie during the 2025-26 regular season, making 29 starts and leading the Golden Knights in wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts.
Even with those numbers, Schmid never moved ahead of Adin Hill on the depth chart. And when Carter Hart returned from injury in April, Schmid slid into the role of the odd man out. His last start for Vegas came on March 21.
The trade points to where the Golden Knights seem headed in net. Hill, who backstopped the club to a Stanley Cup three years ago, and Hart, who started all 22 postseason games, now appear set to be the top two goalies entering the 2026-27 season.
For Vegas, it’s the kind of decision that fits its usual approach: if a player is no longer part of the plan, the team doesn’t linger. In this case, that meant sending Schmid out and moving forward with the tandem already in place.
Hill, in particular, looks like a candidate to rebound. He’ll enter next season with something to prove, and the Golden Knights seem comfortable letting that be the storyline.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Camp Just Made One Prospect Much Harder To Ignore
The Golden Knights opened Development Camp at City National Arena with a familiar kind of summer energy, the sort that comes with prospects trying to make the most of every drill and shift. Juho Piiparinen, Cameron Whitehead and Trevor Connelly were among the names drawing attention early, with each player giving Vegas a different reason to keep watching as the organization takes a longer look at its next wave of talent.
Piiparinen stood out for the way he handled the puck, cleanly moving it and looking comfortable in transition, while Whitehead used his size well in net and cut down angles with authority. Connelly offered the kind of offensive pop that can separate a prospect from the pack, and in a camp built around opportunity, that combination of polish, presence and skill is exactly what can make one player much harder for the Golden Knights to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Just Made Another Win Now Blue Line Move
The Golden Knights kept reshaping their blue line this week with a pair of moves aimed squarely at staying competitive without losing sight of the cap. Jeremy Lauzon is now in the fold on a six-year extension, a commitment that signals Vegas sees value in his size and stability as it tries to keep its roster built for another Cup run.
Parker Wotherspoon arrived from Pittsburgh in a separate deal that sent Kaeden Korczak the other way, adding another layer to the defensive picture just as the front office keeps balancing talent and flexibility. The structure of these moves matters almost as much as the names involved, because Vegas is clearly trying to win now while still leaving itself room to keep adjusting the roster. [Read more 🡒]