The Toronto Maple Leafs’ signing of star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky may not pan out as expected.
Bobrovsky helped the Florida Panthers win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, but he and the rest of the team struggled last season. After the worst year of his career, Bobrovsky became a free agent, and he signed a three-year, $21 million deal.
However, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that Bobrovsky requested the same three-year, $21 million deal, but Florida didn’t want to go there.
“I heard that was his last ask of Florida, and Florida was not willing to go there,” Friedman said on 32 Thoughts.
The Panthers’ not wanting to pay Bobrovsky $7 million a season for three years is telling, especially given how much success they had with him. Florida also opted to trade for Jacob Markstrom, who’s owed $6 million a year for the next two seasons.
Bobrovsky went 27-23-1 with a 3.07 GAA and a .877 SV% last season.
Insider Reveals Surprising Bobrovsky Take
Friedman reported that Florida wasn’t willing to give Bobrovsky the contract, which is a similar report to what James Mirtle reported.
Mirtle spoke on The JD Bukis Podcast on July 2 and claimed the Panthers felt like Bobrovsky was done as a top-tier goalie after last season.
“I was told that Panthers aren’t sure that Bobrovsky still has it; the Panthers were not gonna go above two years,” Mirtle said.
Given that two NHL insiders have now reported that Florida felt like Bobrovsky was done and didn’t want to pay him, it could be a concern for the Maple Leafs.
If Bobrovsky is indeed done as a top-tier goalie, it will hinder Toronto’s chances of making the playoffs. But the Maple Leafs feel confident Bobrovsky still has what it takes to be one of the best goalies in the NHL.
Maple Leafs GM Explains Bobrovsky Signing
Toronto went out and made a bold move to sign Bobrovsky despite his struggles last season.
However, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka felt like signing Bobrovsky was sending a message to the league that they are ready to compete.
“Sergei’s a real game-changer for us in terms of the stability, the consistency, the durability,” Chayka said on July 1. “The resume speaks for itself — possibly ends up being the best in that position of all time. We feel like it was the right player at the right time, not just on the ice, but certainly off the ice. The mentorship, the professionalism, the championship pedigree. We thought about it at all different angles. …
“A player of Sergei Bobrovsky’s calibre sends a message that we’re serious about moving this team ahead and getting back on track and trying to take it to another level. If you look at the full picture, we’re a much more dynamic team today than we were 24 hours ago.”
Bobrovsky is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Vezina Trophy winner.
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