Spencer Knight

Spencer Knight (born April 19, 2001) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Florida Panthers selected him in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2019 NHL entry draft.

Born and raised in Darien, Connecticut, Knight became a goaltender after watching Henrik Lundqvist play for the New York Rangers. He spent one year at Darien High School and another at Avon Old Farms before joining the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in 2018. After setting a program record by winning 59 games in two seasons, Knight, who was the first goaltender to be drafted by the Panthers in the first round, played college ice hockey for the Boston College Eagles. In his sophomore year with Boston College, he was named both the Hockey East Goaltending Champion and the Player of the Year, and he was a two-time finalist for the Mike Richter Award.

Knight left Boston College in 2021 to join the Panthers for the end of their 2020–21 season. He debuted with the team the day after his 20th birthday, becoming the first goaltender born in the 21st century to play in the NHL. Although he made 36 saves in his playoff debut, the Panthers were eliminated from the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. Knight started the 2021–22 season as part of a goaltending tandem with Sergei Bobrovsky, but Bobrovsky's strong performance and Knight's unevenness led him to become a backup as the season progressed.