Very few goalies in recent memory have received as much hype as Spencer Knight has. Between putting up elite stats in the NCAA, to being drafted 13th overall, to standing on his head at the World Juniors, the 20-year-old has turned heads at every level. His play at the NHL level has fared no different, as he turned in rock solid results over a small sample size to end the 2021 season. These strong results left fans excited for what was to come, and itching to see more from the young netminder. Entering the 2021-22 season, he was labeled as a potential Calder trophy favorite. With all sorts of expectations on his shoulders, Knight readied himself for his first full pro season alongside a team looking to establish themselves among the NHL’s elite.
Knight made his season debut in the Panthers’ third game of the season, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Knight got to know Tampa Bay pretty well during games 5 and 6 of last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, and he certainly looked comfortable facing off against one of the most talented offences in the league. Knight posted a .968 save percentage and a 1.65 Goals Saved Above Expected and led the Cats to a 4-1 win over their in-state rival. Knight looked strong in all situations, shutting down Tampa Bay’s chances at key moments and only allowing a goal from star center Brayden Point in the final period.
Knight’s second start of the season came against the winless Arizona Coyotes. In a more shaky performance, Knight didn’t see a shot on net until 18 minutes into the game, when Coyotes forward Clayton Keller scored on a breakaway to give Arizona a one goal lead. Knight held strong during the second, doing what was asked of him, which was, admittedly, not very much. Things once again got shaky for Knight when he allowed two goals in 34 seconds, allowing the Coyotes to crawl back to within one goal after being dead to rights just moments earlier. The Panthers managed to hold on and secure a 5-3 victory, but for Knight, it wasn’t a game to remember. His underwhelming .857 SV% and -1.77 GSAx left many Cats fans restless despite the victory.
Knight next appeared against the Boston Bruins, in what surely was a special night for him. Less than a year ago, he had been the starter at Boston College and was watching the Bruins on TV. With the Cats coming into Boston on the second half of a back-to-back, Knight was in need of a big time bounceback, and he delivered. Knight registered a .939 SV% and 0.63 GSAx, leading the way for the Panthers to force overtime. In the extra frame, Knight came up huge with a breakaway stop against star winger David Pastrnak to keep the game going. Although the Bruins managed to hand the Cats their first loss of the season in a shootout, it wasn’t for a lack of effort from the Panthers and their young goalie.
Knight’s next appearance wasn’t one we were expecting. The rookie netminder came into a game against the Washington Capitals after the first intermission when Sergei Bobrovsky was sidelined with an injury. Coming into the game with a 2-0 lead, Knight allowed a breakaway goal on the first shot he faced… again. The struggles didn’t stop there for Knight, who finished the game with a .862 SV% and -1.77 GSAx as the Panthers blew a three goal lead. The Panthers eventually won the game in overtime, where Knight didn’t see a single shot. It was a similar situation as the game against Arizona: the Cats managed to secure two points, but Knight’s performance in goal left plenty to be desired.
With Bobrovsky still recovering from injury, Knight was left to take on the starter’s job in his stead. Knight was once again looking to make a big impression in response to a shaky previous outing. This time, Knight was facing arguably his toughest obstacle yet: the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes came into Florida with the second-highest scoring offense in the league and a chance to match a league record for most consecutive wins to start a season. Knight was up to the task. After the Cats took a commanding four goal lead in the first period, he shut the door. He shut the door on multiple surges from the Canes, and helped the Cats kill off a major penalty with only one goal allowed. He turned in a .938 SV% and a 1.08 GSAx as the Panthers knocked off the previously flawless Hurricanes by a score of 5-2, serving as a statement win for both the team and the goaltender.
Things got shaky once again when Knight and the Panthers took on the New York Rangers. Knight allowed 4 goals on just 18 shots in the first two periods to dig the Cats into a 4-0 hole. Despite heavily outchancing the Rangers at 5-on-5 and putting more than twice as many shots on goal than New York, the Panthers couldn’t pull off a third period comeback. Florida was handed their first regulation loss of the year, in no small part due to opposing goaltender Igor Shesterkin significantly outplaying Knight, who finished the game with a -1.4 GSAx.
The following night, Knight made his fifth consecutive appearance in goal for the Panthers, this time against the New Jersey Devils. Knight registered a .800 SV% and an awful -2.76 GSAx, the worst total in any game of his career so far. The Panthers took a beatdown in New Jersey, getting beat 7-3 in their second straight loss. Once again, Knight was identified as a main culprit of the Cats’ losing effort.
So, what does all of that add up to for Knight? In seven appearences so far this season, Knight has turned in a subpar .887 SV% and 3.27 Goals Against Average. His -4.35 GSAx is the sixth-worst total among the entire league.
Admittedly, Knight has had a worse start to the season than most of us were hoping for, but it’s far from time to press the panic button. Let’s not forget, we’re talking about the youngest goaltender currently in the NHL, at just 20 years old. Even the best goalies in the world have ups and downs. Goaltending stats in general tend to be extremely unpredictable, especially over a small sample size such as this one. So what if Knight hasn’t torn up the league just yet? This is his first opportunity to adjust to a full NHL season, and Sergei Bobrovsky’s injury certainly didn’t make his transition to the big leagues any easier. Stay calm, Cats fans—Spencer Knight is still an extremely talented young goaltender with more promise than almost any other player in the world.