Florida Panthers Recall Cooper Black Ahead Of Matchup With Blue Jackets

With key forwards Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand injured, the Florida Panthers can ill afford to lose anyone else.

On Monday, goaltender Jacob Markstrom exited a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the first period. Akira Schmid replaced him, and after the game, coach Paul Maurice stated that Markstrom was not injured and that he had just "tightened up."

“It just tightened up so we pulled him,” said Maurice. “We’ll see. There’s no injury there we don’t think that we can’t deal with, just standard stuff.”

While that is positive news, it means Schmid will play nearly both halves of a back-to-back.

Additionally, the Panthers have recalled goaltender Cooper Black from the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, who will likely back up Schmid.

Black has started the season solidly for the Checkers, posting a .906 save percentage in two games, winning one and losing another. Last season, Black played 42 games, posted a .903 SP, and won 25.

Black hasn't played in an NHL game yet, but the 25-year-old is trending in the right direction, and the team rates him highly. The Panthers signed Black to a two-year, two-way deal this off-season. When the deal expires, the 6-foot-8 goaltender will become an unrestricted free agent, but for now, the Panthers hope to keep developing him in the AHL. 

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