Spencer Knight

March 2025 – Knight was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks alongside a 2026 or 2027 first-round pick (the 2026  pick could become a 2027 pick if the Panthers trade the selection to another club) in exchange for star defenseman Seth Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Blackhawks also retain 26 percent of Jones’s salary, about US$2.5 million annually.  Knight has been the Panthers’ backup this year and has been impressive as a 23-year-old netminder. What sets Knight apart is his athleticism for his size. While he has taken the long road to get to the NHL, the 2019 first-round pick has started to come into his own. Knight ranks in the top half of many advanced goaltender metrics like Goals Saved Above Expected, Save Percentage Above Expected, and Wins Above Replacement. He has done this all while being one of the youngest goaltenders in the NHL. Florida trading him away to Chicago must not have been an easy decision to make, and the Blackhawks, after losing the Yaroslav Askarov (SJS) sweepstakes, have found their long-term solution for their goaltender of the future. James Connelly

December 2024 – Knight is an NHL netminder. Last year in Charlotte did wonders for him, and he is set to transition into a full-fledged 1B goalie by the end of the year. In his last five starts, he allowed two or fewer goals in four and most recently posted a 20-save shutout versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Knight has flashes of all-star upside, and his consistency thus far has been nothing short of impressive. Cool, calm, and collected while in the net, displaying elite athleticism and hockey IQ, Knight displays all of the traits of the modern-day star goalie. As the runway for goaltenders and their development is significantly longer than skaters, Knight will likely continue to improve over the coming years and one day establish himself as the Panthers’ true number one when Sergei Bobrovsky inevitably retires. James Connelly

August 2024 – In February 2023, Knight entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to get help with OCD. Since coming out of the program, Knight spent the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers. He posted solid numbers with the Checkers and looked ready to return to the NHL by the end of his season. With Anthony Stolarz departing for Toronto, Knight will be the Panthers’ backup behind Sergei Bobrovsky and should one day surpass him as the starter as he continues to develop his game while Bobrovsky ages. At 23 years old, some Panthers fans may have wanted to get more out of Knight by now, but considering what Knight has been through, he is in a great position and should prove himself as the Panthers’ man in the net as the years progress. James Connelly

March 2022 – Knight has had an inconsistent but decent rookie year, playing behind a rejuvenated Sergei Bobrovsky. He was loaned to Florida’s AHL affiliate for most of February but then started a string of games in March after Bob went down with an injury—a stretch that included his first career shutout. Knight, only 20 years old, continues to be an elite asset in fantasy. He has an excellent opportunity to apprentice behind a two-time Vezina winner on a young powerhouse team with a multi-year contention window. Bobrovsky is already 33 and goalies tend to decline by their mid-thirties, so look for Knight to follow a Jusse Saros-like path to the starter’s role but on a more accelerated timeline. Bob has four more years on his expensive contract (which includes a No Movement Clause); expect Knight to assume a greater percentage of Florida’s available starts every year. If Bob ever misses a significant stretch with an injury, Knight possesses the composure and talent to make his mentor expendable much sooner. Ben Gehrels

January 2021 – Knight had USA fans in a nervous wreck after allowing four goals on just 12 shots during game one versus the Russians. After receiving a game off to regain his focus, he returned to the line-up only to go on a dominant run, one that would seel a Gold Medal victory. In his final five games, Knight posted three shutouts – which includes a 2-0 Gold Medal victory – to propel him in a tie with Justin Pogge, and now fellow prospect, Devon Levi, for most in WJC history. Things are looking promising for their 2019 first-round investment, who will return to BC with one more accolade on his resume and a piece of Gold hardware. Dave Hall

December 2020 – No surprises here, Spencer Knight will join Team USA in their selection camp and will battle out a number of goalies, mainly Dustin Wolf, for the starting role. Anything is possible, but Knight holds a very strong chance of earning that right and getting a good chunk of the starts, if not all. He’s currently 4-0-0 with Boston College in 2020-21, which includes recent back-to-back shutout performances. He gives the team a very strong chance to compete for gold. Dave Hall

June 2020 – Knight is one of four goalies invited to Team USA’s 2020 World Junior Summer Showcase. It is hard to imagine a scenario where Knight does not make the WJC team and it is a safe bet to pin him as the starting netminder for the United States come tournament time. John Gove

April 2020 – Knight is an incredibly athletic netminder who looked comfortable in his NCAA freshman campaign, but likely needs another three-to-four years before he’s sliding from post-to-post, in the NHL. Once he gets into Florida’s system and starts working with their goalie coach, Knight will start settling into the franchise goaltender he’s projected to be. Keith Fries