The Vegas Golden Knights have bolstered their goaltending depth by signing newly acquired Akira Schmid to a two-year contract, with a salary of $875,000 per season, according to CapFriendly. The 24-year-old goaltender’s deal is one-way.
#VegasBorn have signed G Akira Schmid
2 year / 1-way
$875,000 both seasonsSchmid was acquired by Vegas on June 29th, but was not given a QO.https://t.co/mQ5O71mc4q
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) July 3, 2024
Schmid was recently traded to the Golden Knights from the New Jersey Devils. In the 2023-24 season, he primarily played in the American Hockey League. The Bern, Switzerland native participated in 19 games for the Devils, with a 5-9-1 record, and 23 games for the Utica Comets, recording a 9-8-5 record, a 3.06 goals-against average, and a .894 save percentage.
Schmid’s breakout occurred during the 2022-23 season when he won five consecutive starts early on. He finished that season with a 9-5-2 record but struggled to secure consistent playing time in New Jersey. A change of scenery may benefit his career.
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The trade involving Schmid also saw former 2020 first-round pick Alexander Holtz moving to Vegas, while the Devils received forward Paul Cotter. Speculation arose that the Golden Knights viewed Schmid as a third-string goaltender and were seeking another netminder, which led to the signing of Ilya Samsonov to a one-year deal two days later.
The Golden Knights’ goaltending depth chart has changed significantly for the upcoming season. Before signing Samsonov and acquiring Schmid, they traded Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals for two third-round picks.
Vegas still has work to do this offseason, as general manager Kelly McCrimmon is currently over the salary cap with all 23 NHL roster spots filled after the third day of free agency.
