Did the Panthers make the correct decision trading this young goalie to Chicago?

When the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Spencer Knight from the Florida Panthers in March of 2025, it sent shockwaves through the NHL and left Blackhawks fans excited for their future. The Florida Panthers had to choose whether they were going to commit to Sergei Bobrovsky or Spencer Knight. In Knight's first season with the Blackhawks, it seems the Panthers have made a mistake trading their young goaltender.

Knight's first full season as a starting netminder has gone extremely well, after a shaky start with the Blackhawks last season. This season, his save percentage has improved from .896 to .906, while his goals against average has gone from 3.18 down to 2.61. The Blackhawks were also able to obtain a 2026 1st round pick in the deal that sent Seth Jones to the Panthers. With Knight's game improving over the course of the season, it raises questions about whether the Panthers made the correct decision in trading him away.

The Blackhawks won the trade

From the perspective of the Blackhawks, they won this trade. Jones needed a change of scenery and was not a piece of the future. They were also able to close the gap of a hole that needed to be filled. Knight will be the future number one goalie, and he showed a step forward in their rebuild. By just acquiring him, the Blackhawks were able to transition their rebuild into a retool. They have the young pieces to build around; it will just be finding players and goalies that work well with their current core. Following the trade, the Blackhawks were able to lock up Knight on a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.83 million. This shows their commitment to Knight and has added a window of change. By the end of Knight's next contract, the Blackhawks are expected to begin competing with playoff experience under their belt.

The Panthers made a mistake that the Blackhawks saw and pounced on. They sit well outside of a playoff spot, with not much optimism around the team. Their goaltending has not been much help as of late, unlike in the past. Bobrovsky does not seem capable of holding the net down anymore, as we have seen a real dip in his numbers. His save percentage has gone down from .906 to .872, while his goals against average has gone up from 2.44 to 3.11. Both of these numbers are a huge drop-off from previous seasons. As their core ages, keeping a younger, talented goalie may seem like the smarter decision.

Knight will continue to play a crucial role in the Blackhawks' success and development. If he continues on his current track, he will be an unbelievable goalie, with people looking back on the trade as a win for the Hawks.