Vegas Golden Knights Trade Goalie — Here’s What Happened

What’s the Big News?

On June 29, 2026, the Vegas Golden Knights made a trade! Their General Manager, Kelly McCrimmon, announced that the team traded their goaltender, Akira Schmid, to the Florida Panthers.

Here’s what Vegas got in return:

• A third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft

In simple terms: Vegas traded a player for the chance to pick another player in the future.

Who Is Akira Schmid?

Akira Schmid is a 26-year-old goaltender (that’s the player who guards the net to stop goals). Here’s what he did for Vegas over the past two seasons:

• Played in 39 games total
• Save percentage: .898 (this means he stopped about 9 out of every 10 shots)
• Goals Against Average (GAA): 2.45 (this means the other team scored about 2–3 goals per game on average when he was playing)
• During the 2025–26 season, he played in a career-high 34 games
• He also earned 2 shutouts (games where he stopped every single shot — the other team scored zero!)

Did You Know? A "save percentage" is just a fancy way of saying "out of all the shots fired at you, how many did you stop?" A .898 means he stopped about 89.8% of shots.

So Why Did Vegas Trade Him?

The article doesn’t explain the team’s reasoning, but here’s what we do know:

• Vegas traded a goaltender who had solid experience
• In return, they received a future draft pick
• This means the team is likely planning for the future and may have other goaltending options they’re confident about

We don’t know Vegas’ full strategy here — teams make trades for lots of reasons, like salary money, roster needs, or long-term planning.

A Quick Look at the Vegas Golden Knights

Before you go, let’s learn a little about the team itself!

The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). Here are some fun facts:

• Founded: The team started in 2017 as a brand-new (expansion) franchise
• Owner: Bill Foley and his family, through Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC
• Big Achievements:
  • The most successful expansion team ever in their first season (2017–18)
  • Stanley Cup Champions in the 2022–23 season
  • Reached the Stanley Cup Final three times
• 2026–27 season: They’ll be celebrating their 10th season!

Want to Follow the Golden Knights?

You can find them on social media:

• Website: vegasgoldenknights.com
• Facebook: Vegas Golden Knights
• X (Twitter): @goldenknights
• Instagram: @vegasgoldenknights
• TikTok: @vegasgoldenknights

Summary

Here’s the whole story in a nutshell:

• Vegas traded goalie Akira Schmid to the Florida Panthers
• Vegas received a third-round draft pick for 2028
• Schmid had a solid record over 39 games, including two shutouts last season
• The Golden Knights are one of the NHL’s most exciting teams — Stanley Cup winners in 2023!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a draft pick?

A "draft pick" is like a reservation to choose a new young player in the future. In a "third-round pick," a team gets to choose a player during the third round of the NHL’s annual player selection event — kind of like picking teams during recess, but for all the pro teams at once!

What does "expansion franchise" mean?

An expansion franchise is a brand-new team that joins an existing league. Vegas was created in 2017 and started playing that same year. Being the "most successful" means they performed incredibly well for such a new team!

What is a shutout in hockey?

A shutout happens when a goaltender stops every single goal attempt during a full game. The opposing team ends the game with zero goals. It’s a big deal and shows the goalie played really well!

Why would a team trade a player for a future pick instead of another player?

Teams sometimes want to plan ahead rather than improve right away. A future draft pick gives them flexibility to grab a promising young player later when their team roster might need a different kind of player.

When will the 2028 NHL Entry Draft happen?

The NHL Entry Draft usually takes place every year in late June or early July. So the 2028 draft will likely happen around summer 2028. Vegas will use that third-round pick to select a new player!