What happened: The Florida Panthers signed goaltender Akira Schmid to a two-year contract on Friday, resolving the case just over a week before a scheduled August 1 salary arbitration hearing. Schmid filed for arbitration on July 5 after Florida acquired him from the Vegas Golden Knights in a trade for a 2028 third-round pick. The deal runs through the 2027-28 season.

Why it matters: The extension locks in Schmid alongside Jacob Markstrom as Florida's new goaltending tandem through 2027-28, closing the crease competition the Panthers opened when they moved on from their previous starter this offseason. Settling the case before a hearing avoids the adversarial arbitration process, where team and player file separate salary figures.

What to watch: Schmid and Markstrom now head into the 2026-27 season as Florida's projected tandem in net.