Akira Schmid still winless at 0-1-1 as Panthers recall Cooper Black from Charlotte

The Florida Panthers called up goaltender Cooper Black from the Charlotte Checkers this morning, hours before puck drop in Columbus.

The timing says plenty. Florida used both of its goalies Monday afternoon in Buffalo, and the afternoon still ended in a 5-3 loss.

Jacob Markstrom played exactly 20 minutes and stopped 9 of 11 shots. Akira Schmid handled the rest, turning aside 18 of 21 and wearing the decision.

That makes it 0 wins in 4 appearances for the backup. His .868 save percentage isn't the kind of number that lets a bench relax.

And tonight is the second half of a back-to-back. Columbus hasn't played since a 5-3 loss in St. Louis on Saturday, so the legs will not be even.

So who gets the net? The move alone doesn't answer that, but it hands Paul Maurice a third option on a night when nobody in his crease looks rested.

Paul Maurice is running the Panthers without Barkov or Marchand

The bigger hole sits up front. Aleksander Barkov is expected to be out until at least Nov. 27 with a lower-body injury.

Brad Marchand won't be riding to the rescue either. His leg injury is expected to keep him out until at least Nov. 21.

Pull two players of that calibre out of any lineup and the scoresheet shows it. Florida has 12 goals through 6 games, sitting at 2-2-2 and losers of two straight.

Sam Reinhart has carried what he can. Both of his goals this season came on the power play, and both came Monday in Buffalo.

Seth Jones added two power-play assists in that same game. The man advantage has a pulse. Even strength is where things go quiet.

Brady Tkachuk is a -5 through his first 6 games. For a forward paid to drive play, that's a rough start on the road trip.

Here's my problem with all of this. Calling up a goalie from Charlotte right now feels like buying a new umbrella while the roof leaks.

Markstrom is 36 with a .904 save percentage. Schmid carries a $2,000,000 cap hit to be the dependable No. 2, and that money hasn't bought a single win yet.

The Blue Jackets aren't airtight in their own end. Jet Greaves owns a .867 save percentage, and Columbus has allowed 14 goals in 4 games.

This is the first of three meetings between these clubs this season. Florida then heads home for Vancouver on Thursday and Seattle on Saturday, after starting 0-1-0 in its own building.

If Black is still with the big club by Thursday, that tells you more about how the front office views Schmid than anything Black did in Charlotte.

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