An interesting post-NHL trade deadline rumor posited that the Carolina Hurricanes were in hot pursuit of Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.
In a column in The Athletic published on Wednesday, insider Pierre LeBrun discussed the Canes’ plans to upgrade in goal at this year’s NHL trade deadline. One of the targets was the Panthers’ two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie.
According to LeBrun, the Panthers wanted a first-round pick as part of the asking price. The Hurricanes balked, leading the talks to stall.
The Canes reportedly kicked the tires on St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, and that was the end of that.
“My understanding is that Florida asked for a first-round pick at the outset, which Carolina was never going to pay. The Canes might have been interested at a lower price but both teams didn’t circle back to each other after their last discussion. There was also a brief discussion about Jordan Binnington in St. Louis but that never got anywhere either.”
The Canes stuck with Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi. As it stands, the move, or the non-move, has paid off. The Hurricanes steamrolled their first two opponents, and then held back a plucky Montreal Canadiens squad in the Eastern Conference Final.
All told, Andersen, and now Bussi, have been ironclad in the crease.
As LeBrun quoted Carolina GM Eric Tulsky, the organization wasn’t going to make a move for the sake of making one. And that stance was the right call.
“We’ve got two goalies that we’re comfortable with and a third goalie who is working to coming back in time to help for the playoffs.”
That third goalie, Pyotr Kochetkov, hasn’t played. But he could factor into the organization’s plans moving forward.
Could Hurricanes Circle Back to Bobrovsky this Offseason?
Carolina is poised to take home its second Stanley Cup in franchise history. Thursday night’s win in Game 5 over the Vegas Golden Knights puts them one win away from claiming their long-awaited championship.
But with the end of the season, some questions could emerge for the Hurricanes. The 36-year-old Andersen will be a UFA at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Bussi and Kochetkov are under contract for next season.
Bussi inked a three-year extension. Kochetkov, for his part, is under contract for one more season.
So, would that situation mean the Hurricanes could circle back to Bobrovsky? There’s certainly a possibility, but who knows if Tulsky would be willing to pay Bobrovsky what he believes he’s worth.
What to read next:
Bobrovsky Seeking Multi-Year Deal
The ongoing chatter is that Bobrovsky is seeking one more multi-year deal. Even at 36, and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, “Bob” believes he’s still worth $10 million per season.
That could be a hard sell for a team like the Hurricanes. It’s tough to see Carolina forking over that much money, especially when the club has about $11 million in cap space and will need to address its goaltending situation.
Since it’s unclear how well Kochetkov could bounce back, the Hurricanes may look at the market and figure out a replacement for Andersen, should the Danish goaltender not return.
Perhaps that’s something the Canes will just sort out after they’re done partying. It will be a short summer in Carolina, so the decision may come sooner rather than later.
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