Spencer Knight Returns to Florida, Faces Panthers for First Time Today

FORT LAUDERDALE — When Spencer Knight walked into the IcePlex on Monday morning with the rest of the Chicago Blackhawks, his former Florida Panthers teammates were on the ice prepping for today’s opener.

Knight kept his head down, seemingly not hearing his name being called out not only from the ice level, but from up in the stands as well.

It has been over seven months since the Panthers traded Knight to the Blackhawks in a blockbuster pre-trade deadline move that brought defenseman Seth Jones to Florida.

Knight seemed real happy to be back.

“We got in here a day early, and it was pretty funny just driving around here on the bus seeing the area,” Knight said Monday afternoon after a spirited workout. “It’s cool. Nice weather, and it’s nice to be back in the rink. It has been fun.”

Knight, 24, was considered Florida’s ‘goalie-in-waiting’ ever since the Panthers made him their first pick of the 2019 draft — a move that puzzled some considering the team already had plans to sign Sergei Bobrovsky a contract that, at the time, was the richest in franchise history.

And, although it appeared at times that Knight’s ascent to the starting job would come sooner rather than later, Bobrovsky’s inspired play eventually made Knight expendable.

It was also time for Knight to blossom somewhere else, and that turned out to be in Chicago where he gets to help a young team hopefully grow into respectability.

“He is an awesome player, and he is exactly what we needed,’’ said Chicago captain Nick Foligno, a former teammate of both Jones and Bobrovsky during his time with Columbus.

“He has come in here and really wanted to be part of turning this thing around. First and foremost, he is a great person. I could not be more thrilled to have him on the team here. What a great addition. He has the greatest attitude and I think he really learned a lot from having a mentor like Bob. Bob never has a bad day, either. It is great he was able to have that teacher in place, and now be able to come here and embark on being his own player and having the reins as a No. 1.’’

Bobrovsky, who was replaced by Knight during the 2021 playoffs against Tampa Bay, seems to have had a great working relationship with the younger goalie.

“Bob is great. He’s the gold standard, right?’’ Knight said. “I think he’s the gold standard on and off the ice, the way he treats himself, the way he approaches life. He has a lot of grace in what he does. … He is a great friend, I loved playing with him. But getting to know him, too, was also fun and I am really appreciative of him.’’

When Knight left the team in 2023 to deal with OCD issues, Bobrovsky was supportive and helped him however he could.

“He’s a great goalie, a great kid, and he’s going to have a good NHL career,’’ Bobrovsky said. “He has everything. I am excited to watch him.

“He’s ready. He has all the ingredients to be the one of the best goalies in the game. And I think he going to do that. He’s going to achieve that. I like him a lot, learned a lot from him, too. He reminds me of hungry I was when I got to the league, you know, how hard he works. He has a great attitude, enjoy everything that happens. I had a good time with him, and I wish him all the success.”

Knight smiled when he was told what Bobrovsky said of him.

“I wasn’t really trying to teach Bob anything,” Knight said a little sheepishly. “In my eyes, I just tried to learn from him in what he was doing, how he handled a big win or a loss, or a stretch of losses. He was never flustered, just came to the rink and did his thing and stayed on his own path. That was pretty cool to see.”

Today’s opener is all about the Panthers and the celebration of the 2025 Stanley Cup championship.

Knight spent all of the 2023-24 season in Charlotte to get his game back on track, but was with the Panthers during their run to their first Cup title.

Not only was Knight the one to hand the Cup to coach Paul Maurice after Game 7 against the Oilers, but the Panthers made sure he had his day with the trophy.

Although Knight was initially apprehensive about doing so — “my biggest fault is that I want to earn it and I am very honest about it,’’ he told FHN last year — Bill Zito convinced him how much he meant to the team and that this would be a special moment he should not deny himself, his family, or his community in Connecticut.

Knight certainly came to appreciate that gesture, that moment.

He also appreciated Florida fans continued to chant ‘Knight!’ during his time away from the team in 2023.

Knight was surprised to hear that some fans continue to do it even after the trade.

We expect he may even smile a little if they do it again tonight, at least for old times sake.

“That’s funny,” Knight said. “Honestly, I didn’t know they still did that. But that’s cool. Again, from top to bottom, the whole community here … the people, the community were just very nice, kind, very appreciative.

“I am really thankful that I was able to start here and I hope that I gave some people some good memories.”

ON DECK: OPENING NIGHT

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS at FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Tuesday, 5 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+/Hulu
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM/104.3 FM; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
• Last Season: Tied 1-1
• This Season — At Florida: Tuesday; At Chicago: Jan. 25
• All-time Regular Season Series: Blackhawks lead 30-20-4, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. (Local TV)