The Florida Panthers made it official Thursday, confirming Akira Schmid on a new two year contract.
Around The Horn Hockey reported the deal carries a $2,000,000 annual cap hit, more than double what Schmid carried before.
That old number was $875,000, standard money for a goalie still building a case for real minutes.
Schmid, a native of Switzerland, delivered on that entry level deal too, posting a .893 save percentage last season.
He added two shutouts and 13 wins across 34 appearances, numbers that made this new price tag an easy call for Florida.
Jacob Markstrom, still the presumed starter at 36 years old, finished at .883 with 15 wins over a heavier 44 game workload.
The new deal runs through the 2027-28 season, giving Florida two full years of cost certainty behind the starter.
The photo tied to the announcement shows Schmid mid stance, glove raised, locked in on a shot already in the books.
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Two million a year for a backup outperforming your starter by save percentage is the kind of value front offices chase every summer.
Panthers now carry real depth in net for two years
Paul Maurice has coached this group since June 2022, and GM Bill Zito just removed one more offseason loose end from his desk.
Florida closed last season 40-38-4 for 84 points, riding a three game win streak into the summer.
A cheap backup who actually performs is like an insurance policy that pays out, most teams carry one and hope they never need it.
Florida might need Schmid more than expected if Markstrom's age starts to show against a heavier workload.
The real question is whether this stays a clean tandem, or whether Schmid forces his way into a genuine competition for starts.
Is Akira Schmid's $2M deal actually better value than Jacob Markstrom's contract?
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