Florida Panthers insider Alex Baumgartner likes the Akira Schmid trade a lot, and he thinks the Panthers are far from finished this offseason.
"I really like the Schmid move by Florida. Low-cost for a younger, effective NHL goaltender," Baumgartner wrote Monday.
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Schmid posted a .893 save percentage in 34 games for Vegas this season, going 13-17 with 2 shutouts. He also brings international experience with the Swiss national team, a detail Baumgartner specifically flagged.
"The floor is 30 games. I think he gives you closer to 40," Baumgartner added.
That's a real vote of confidence for a goaltender who cost Florida nothing more than a 2028 third-round pick.
Bobrovsky posted a .876 save percentage in 52 games this season at age 37, a number that should worry any Panthers fan paying attention. Daniil Tarasov backed him up with a .895 save percentage in 33 games.
Florida finished 40-38-4 this season, twenty-fifth overall, allowing 276 goals. Goaltending wasn't the only issue, but it was a significant one.
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Baumgartner expects Florida to add a second goalie this summer
"Don't think Florida is done. Would expect them to remain active in getting a second goalie," Baumgartner wrote, suggesting Schmid alone isn't the full plan.
That's a notable claim. It means Zito isn't satisfied with simply adding competition behind Bobrovsky. He may be planning to bring in another arm entirely, possibly setting up a real timeshare or even positioning for life after Bobrovsky.
The numbers support the urgency. A 37-year-old starter coming off a sub-.880 season is not a sustainable plan heading into a playoff push.
Schmid gives Florida a younger option with legitimate NHL starts on his résumé. Whether he ends up sharing time with Tarasov, pushing for a bigger role, or simply waiting his turn behind Bobrovsky depends on what else Zito does this summer.
If Baumgartner's right, this trade was step one, not the finish line.
Should the Panthers move on from Sergei Bobrovsky as their starting goaltender?
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