Schmid, who turned 21 this past Wednesday, recently finished playing his 2020-21 season with Sioux City (USHL). The 6-foot-5, 205-pound netminder posted a 22-13-1 record in 36 games with three shutouts, a 2.01 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. He ranked first in the United States Hockey League in regular-season save percentage and goals-against average. Last Week, Sioux City was eliminated in the Clark Cup Playoffs by Fargo, as Schmid went 2-2 with a .920 save percentage and 2.28 GAA. Akira split 2019-20 with Sioux City and Omaha where he played 13 games overall. In 2018-19, he spent most of the season with Omaha, posting a 16-14-2 mark in 37 games with three shutouts, a 2.18 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. His save percentage was the best in the USHL, his GAA ranked second and he was named to the Third All-Star Team.
Born in Bern, Switzerland, Schmid has been named to his home country's roster for three under-20 World Junior Championships (2018-20) and two under-18 World Junior Championships (2017, '18). He was teammates with current Devils' Captain Nico Hischier on the 2017 under-18 squad and grew up playing with Swiss club Langnau. Schmid is the second goaltending prospect that the club has inked this month as New Jersey signed Nico Daws, the team's third-round pick and the 84th-overall section in the 2020 NHL Draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract on May 5.
