Akira Schmid left the ice first in Saturday's Vegas Golden Knights practice. It was a curveball of sorts as the Swiss Olympian swooped in after Adin Hill skated away from the bench. Perhaps traumatic memories of Thursday's game steered the Calgary native away from leaving the ice first. Who knows?
But one thing's certain. Schmid is expected to have a daunting task ahead of him in Saturday's game against the Nashville Predators. You see, the Predators are 17-8-0 since November 25, relying on a mix of friendship and "kumbayas" to take down the competition. In turn, it's left them a point out of a Western Conference wild card spot.
That's not good news for Schmid, who must deal with this incoming inspirational story. How can the netminder handle a confident team that's ready to shock the world? Well, you won't believe how it's done.
For this exercise, let's tap into another sport and pull some terminology. Schmid can hit a home run with a big game, leading the Golden Knights to glory beyond Saturday. Besides, everyone hates Vegas the same way that they hate the Dodgers. So, why not put two and two together for the beloved Swiss netminder?
Akira Schmid must enter "relief pitcher" mode for the Vegas Golden Knights this season
In baseball, the relief pitcher is meant to take the pressure off the starter, should he become gassed. The objective is to provide a fresh arm for the team, pushing them closer to victory. In some cases, that leads to the closer coming in, where he's determined to turn off the lights for good.
Ironically, that has been Schmid's calling (in spirit) for the Golden Knights this season. He's had four such appearances this season, shining in all four spots.
Date | GAA | Saves | Shots Faced | Save Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
October 14 vs. the Flames | 0.00 | 19 | 19 | 1.000 |
October 20 vs. the Hurricanes | 1.20 | 22 | 23 | .957 |
December 29 vs. the Wild | 0.00 | 15 | 15 | 1.000 |
January 8 vs. the Blue Jackets | 2.33 | 22 | 24 | .917 |
The situation has always arisen whenever a Golden Knights netminder has either been hurt (Hill and Carter Hart) or ineffective. Still, Schmid has thrived whenever the deck has been stacked against Vegas. He's done an excellent job of coming in and using his size to take away space.
The "relief pitcher" mentality has also worked effectively for the Olympian in other aspects. His steady play has provided a sparkplug for the Golden Knights, with three wins in his four relief appearances. In fact, his "relief" appearances have gone beyond being a mere set-up man: Schmid has become the proverbial closer, getting three "saves" (in baseball terms).
Therefore, the mentality that Schmid must channel against the Predators is simple: be Mariano Rivera. Use your size like a cutter and make the Predators work for their scoring chances. That can also be said for the Golden Knights skaters, who must take away those open looks.
If all that happens on Saturday night (and beyond), the Golden Knights will hit a home run for the remaining games in 2025-26. They'll also live up to their "Dodgers of the NHL" billing, conjuring the anger and wrath of the 31 other fanbases. Hey, nobody said that you wouldn't have any haters on your way to the top, right?