Sergei Bobrovsky was integral to the Florida Panthers reaching three consecutive Stanley Cup appearances from 2023 to 2025. The goaltender’s 7-year, $70 million contract is set to expire at the end of next month.
Reports suggest the Panthers are keen to keep the Russian professional. NHL insider David Pagnotta on the NHL Network on Sunday confirmed those rumors.
“Well, he wants to stay in Florida,” Pagnotta said. (4:30) “I think that is the preference. He wants to stay there, but he also wants term by every indication, and I do not know if he is going to follow necessarily in the same footsteps as Brad Marchand did with Florida in getting a longer-term deal, spread out the money, but it seems like that is what he is looking for.
“And right now they have had these conversations going back into the regular season ahead of the trade deadline. Partially why you heard his name to a certain degree out there. Teams like Vegas and Montreal had kicked the tires on Sergey Bobrovsky at the time. Where these teams are at right now, they are pretty good in net.
“But other teams are going to be looking to see where they are at with their goaltending and what is happening with Bobrovsky. It would not surprise me if he goes to July 1 to at least understand what the proper appetite is out there for his services. But again, his priority would be to stay in Florida.”
Brobovsky has a 456-266-58 record in his 16-year NHL season. He has gotten better with age, going 93-56-9 in the three regular seasons where the Panthers reached the Finals. He held a 44-21 record with a .912 save percentage and a 2.41 GAA during those three postseasons.
Quite naturally, contenders like the Golden Knights and the Canadiens were interested in getting his services at the trade deadline. Some of them might come around this summer.
According to Pagnotta, the situation has forced Florida to look at other options, which include St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington.
“I think the Panthers certainly would like to keep him, but at the same time, they are going to do their due diligence as well and look to see what other options might be available if Bob leaves,” Pagnotta added.
“One guy, I think, on their radar is St. Louis’s Jordan Binnington, who is going to be entering the final year of his contract. Again, priority is to keep Bob, but Florida is going to look at their options if that is not the case.”
Binnington had a down season with a 13-20-7 record, an .873 save percentage and a 3.33 GAA. But the 32-year-old showed glimpses of his brilliance while representing Canada at the Olympics. His 6-year, $36 million contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.
Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy