Jacob Markstrom Injury: Panthers Recall Cooper Black from Charlotte

Cooper Black Recalled from Charlotte

The Panthers recalled goaltender Cooper Black from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday. He will serve as the backup to Akira Schmid while Markstrom is sidelined.

Black is a 6’8″ goaltender and is described as a towering prospect. He will likely get his NHL debut on the upcoming road trip. The swing starts in Ottawa on Wednesday. It then moves to Pittsburgh and Chicago.

Jacob Markstrom Injury Follows Earlier Absence

Markstrom has appeared in six games this season. He is 3-1-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average, an .897 save percentage, and a shutout.

This is not his first absence of the month. The 36-year-old left last Monday’s game in Buffalo after the first period when something tightened up on him. He then missed two games last week with an undisclosed injury.

Markstrom’s Return to Florida

Florida acquired Markstrom on June 30, 2026. The Panthers got him and winger Angus Crookshank from the New Jersey Devils. In return, the Devils received forwards Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves.

It was Florida’s second goaltending trade in as many days. The Panthers had acquired Schmid the day before.

The deal brought Markstrom back to where his NHL career began. Florida drafted him in the second round, 31st overall, in 2008. He was born Jan. 31, 1990, in Gävle, Sweden, and stands 6-foot-6.

Next Up

The Panthers visit the Senators on Wednesday night to start the road trip. If the 10-to-14-day estimate holds, Markstrom could be back shortly after the trip ends, though the team has not given a return date.