Entering this week the Florida Panthers did not have a single goaltender on the roster heading into the free agency period beginning July 1st. Within a two day span, Bill Zito and the Panthers organization made sure they would not go another week in the same situation.Late Monday evening news broke that the Panthers had acquired goalie Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick.— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 30, 2026With a prototypical 6-foot-5 and 190 pound frame, the 26 year-old native of Bern, Switzerland gave the Cats a high upside young goaltender that fits in as a capable backup. Schmid appeared in 34 games last year with Vegas and posted a 16-10-6 record along with two shutouts. “Akira is a talented and athletic goaltender who has shown poise in high-pressure moments. We are excited to welcome him to our organization.”Panthers GM Bill ZitoSchmid has limited playoff experience (10 games) but posted excellent numbers, including a .924 save percentage and 2.26 goals-against-average. His cap hit should be roughly in the 1M AAV range after becoming a restricted free agent this offseason. The Schmid acquistion hinted that the organization was still shopping for a starting goaltender. Hope still remained that the team could still retain Sergei Bobrovsky on a team friendly deal. This was not the case, as on Tuesday afternoon the Panthers acquired another former New Jersey goaltender.We have acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom and forward Angus Crookshank from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Evan Rodrigues, forward Jesper Boqvist and forward Ben Steeves.Details » https://t.co/22pJKMulzE pic.twitter.com/4BkYuRycic— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 30, 2026The vetaran Markstrom, 36, appeared in 44 games last year for the Devils and posted a 23-19-1 record. Ironically, Markstrom was originally selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft. He played for the team sporadically over four seasons before joining the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013-14 season. “Jacob is an established veteran leader in this league who possesses size and a relentless drive to win. We are excited for him to compete alongside our established group and return to South Florida."Panthers GM Bill ZitoIt is a bittersweet acquistion for the Panthers as fan favorite Evan Rodrigues was part of the trade package sent north, along with solid depth forward Jesper Boqvist. Will miss this postgame tradition! Every time I asked #FlaPanthers HC Paul Maurice about Evan Rodrigues, he called him the team’s “unsung hero.” Did whatever was asked of him and played wherever he was needed in the lineup, especially with all the injuries the team battled last… pic.twitter.com/S5crwur3XA— Katie Engleson (@KatieEngleson) June 30, 2026Rodrigues was the ultimate team player, appearing in 160 out of a possible 162 games during the back-to-back championship seasons prior to last year. Boqvist is a solid third or fourth line center who returns to the Devils where he played his first four seasons before joining the Boston Bruins in the 2023-24 campaign. Needless to say, once again Bill Zito used every bit of salary cap manuevering to bring capable goaltending to the organization. It remains to be seen if either is a long term solution, but the team looks more solid than they did just days ago.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow