Rumours swirl about Sergei Bobrovsky
A rumour has been circling social media centred around Florida Panthers starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Panthers worked on trading Bobrovsky throughout the season to see if it would be possible.
This might have proved difficult for the Panthers, and if this information is true, it seems the Florida front office has accepted a possibly crippling mistake. Bobrovsky carries a 10M cap hit with a full NMC into the 2025-2026 season, with a no-trade clause kicking in for the last two years of his contract in 2024. Ouf. Bobrovsky has also not fully fulfilled his half of the investment the Panthers put into him the previous three seasons, posting a save percentage of .900, .906, and .913. Bob has had his ups and downs since being dealt to the Sunshine State.
With a young stud in Spencer Knight, and cheaper options as a solid safety net in free agency, Bobrovsky might not fit into the fold anymore. With the Panthers sending out a ton of first-round picks in order to truly go all-in this season, (acquiring Ben Chiarot and Claude Giroux), they saw a disappointing end in the second round by losing to their bitter rival Tampa Bay Lighting in less than 7 games.
Having 10M tied up in a slightly older 33-year-old goaltender who hasn't exactly been dynamite for the better half of three seasons isn't really a great way to stay competitive, and it may be hard to find a willing trade partner. The Panthers will have to do some over-hauling this off-season, and some of that work may need to be directed at the crease. Finding a way to take some pressure off such a hefty contract, and giving Bobrovsky a fresh start somewhere else may include some salary retention and decent players, prospects, or picks shipped out.
| POLL | ||
MAI 31 | 521 ANSWERS Rumours swirl about Sergei Bobrovsky If you were Leafs GM Kyle Dubas and you could get Bobrovsky at 50% retained, would you do it? | ||
| Definitely | 139 | 26.7 % |
| Not worth it, even for $5M | 175 | 33.6 % |
| It depends if we swing and miss elsewhere | 70 | 13.4 % |
| For $5M, may as well just re-sign Soupy | 137 | 26.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
