Kidd stepped in full-time with the Flames in the 1993–94 NHL season, playing 31 games as backup to netminder Mike Vernon. He remained with the team through the 1996–97 NHL season. Kidd was traded prior to the start of the 1997–98 NHL season to the Carolina Hurricanes for center Andrew Cassels and goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère. Two years in Carolina followed; Kidd played with Sean Burke. The following year, goalie Arturs Irbe joined the team and the Hurricanes left Kidd unprotected for the upcoming Expansion Draft. After being selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 1999 NHL Expansion Draft, Kidd was immediately traded to the Florida Panthers. Kidd started strong for the Panthers in the first 11 games of the 1999-00 NHL season, but he was injured trying to make a save on a shot from teammate Peter Worrell during a league-mandated skills competition. This injury forced the Panthers to trade forward Radek Dvorak to the New York Rangers as part of a three-way deal with the San Jose Sharks for goaltender Mike Vernon, who left after the season for free agency. When Kidd returned from injury his play was well below NHL quality, and he was never able to reestablish himself as the team's number one goaltender. The Panthers had acquired young goaltender Roberto Luongo as well as forward Olli Jokinen from the New York Islanders for forwards Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha, and Luongo edged out Kidd for the starter's role in the 2001–02 NHL season. He continued to fill the backup role for one more season before being released after clearing waivers before the 2002–03 NHL season.