Vegas Golden Knights Adapt Without Goalie Akira Schmid as Kings’ Kevin Fiala Shines in Matchup

The Vegas Golden Knights have been without their Swiss goaltender Akira Schmid for recent games, including their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings, as confirmed by team updates and verified sources.

Akira Schmid, born on May 12, 2000, in Bern, Switzerland, is a professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Vegas Golden Knights in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round, 136th in the 2018 NHL entry draft before joining the Golden Knights.

Schmid began his North American career in the United States Hockey League (USHL), playing for the Omaha Lancers and Sioux City Musketeers over three seasons. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils on May 17, 2021, and made his NHL debut on December 11, 2021, in a 4–2 loss to the New York Islanders, becoming the first goaltender to debut in the NHL directly from the USHL.

During the 2022–23 season with the Devils, Schmid earned his first NHL win on November 10, 2022, in a 4–3 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. He recorded his first NHL shutout on February 25, 2023, in a 7–0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.