The 2025 preseason is coming to a close. All around the league, teams are making their final cuts ahead of the roster finalization deadline on Monday, October 6th. Teams carefully watch the waiver wire, all the while praying they can sneak their players down to the AHL undetected. On Friday, the Vegas Golden Knights lost a forward to waivers who they didn’t want to lose.
At 11 a.m. PST, Chris Johnston reported that the Florida Panthers claimed forward Cole Schwindt off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Schwindt, 24, has played 49 total NHL games over the past three seasons.
Last year, Schwindt played 42 games for the Golden Knights and proved himself as a defensively responsible bottom-six center. He recorded eight points, including his first NHL goal, although it was into an empty net. Schwindt also took 218 draws and won 50.5% in the face-off dot.
The Panthers selected Schwindt 81st overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and sent him to the Calgary Flames as part of the Matthew Tkachuk trade. With everyone healthy, Schwindt didn’t have much of a chance to make the Golden Knights’ opening night roster. That’s not the case in Florida. With Aleksander Barkov injured, the Panthers have an opening in their bottom-six, and Schwindt could earn a spot.
It’s worth noting that, as the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Florida Panthers are last on the waiver priority list. If they place Schwindt on waivers, the Golden Knights can re-claim him and send him directly to the AHL.
