Spencer Knight

Knight has had a rough few years. The once top prospect entered the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program in February 2023 to get help managing his OCD, and he had no idea what 2023-24 would bring. Knight spent last season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, where he finished tied for fifth in wins (25) and eighth in GAA (2.41). That helped earn him the AHL's Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award, given to the player who best demonstrates sportsmanship, determination and dedication. Knight will be brought along slowly - the Panthers signed Chris Driedger to compete with him for the No. 2 role for 2024-25. At just 23, Knight may be best served with another season in the AHL to crystalize his gains and recapture his elite dynasty future. Still, if he earns the NHL role, Knight may see upwards of 25 games and bring value in daily formats.

Knight had a chance to claim the starting role in 2022-23, but he ended up going 9-8-3 with a 3.18 GAA and a .901 save percentage over 21 games. He ended the year in the player assistance program, and after the Panthers rallied to the Stanley Cup Finals without him, it's fair to question if his "goalie of the future" status is still present. Florida signed Anthony Stolarz in free agency, giving the team a more experienced and steady backup to pair with Sergei Bobrovsky in 2023-24, so it's probably safe to assume Knight will begin the year in the AHL barring a stellar training camp.

Those hoping Knight would be able to steal the No. 1 job from incumbent Sergei Bobrovsky came away disappointed last year. Knight, No. 13 overall pick from the 2019 draft, played 32 games in his age-20 rookie campaign in 2021-22, posting a 19-9-3 record, a 2.79 GAA and a .908 save percentage. The Panthers have a new coach in Paul Maurice, and it's possible he could view things differently than the combination of coaches Andrew Brunette and Joel Quenneville did a season ago, but the more likely scenario is that Florida deploys its top-two goaltenders in a similar fashion in 2022-23, which would severely hamper Knight's fantasy value. Of course, he's also a potential league-winner should anything happen to Bobrovsky. Knight has considerably more value in keeper/dynasty formats than redraft leagues.

One of the most decorated goaltending prospects in recent memory, Knight stepped right off the Boston College campus into the Florida lineup in mid-April. All told, Knight appeared in six games for the Panthers, including a pair of playoff contests. His numbers were exceptional (5-1-0, 2.23 GAA, .925 save percentage) and it's easy to see why Knight is held in such high esteem among NHL talent evaluators. Chris Driedger was claimed by Seattle in the expansion draft, leaving Knight and the pricey Sergei Bobrovsky as Florida's goaltending duo heading into the 2021-22 campaign. Knight would be the clear frontrunner for playing time if all things were equal, but they aren't. Keep an eye on this competition because Knight would be a legitimate No. 1 fantasy netminder if he can wrestle the job away from Bobrovsky.