Panthers losing superstar to different team immediately after acquiring Brady Tkachuk
Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sergei Bobrovsky is almost certainly leaving the Florida Panthers this summer - but the real question is whether that hurts them as much as it looks.
Elliotte Friedman reported Monday that it is unlikely Bobrovsky returns to Florida, and the numbers behind the split tell a more complicated story than the headlines suggest.
"I've heard it's unlikely that Sergei Bobrovsky is going to be back."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Bobrovsky's seven-year, $70 million deal expires July 1, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Reports indicate his asking price is as high as $42 million over six or seven years - for a player who turns 38 before next season opens.
His 2025-26 numbers were the worst of his 16-year NHL career. He posted a .877 save percentage and a -12.2 goals-saved-above-expected mark in 52 games, ranking 90th among 98 NHL goalies who played this past season.
The Tkachuk trade closed the door first
Florida already carries Aleksander Barkov at $10 million and Matthew Tkachuk at $9.5 million on the books.
The Brady Tkachuk trade left the Panthers with roughly $7 million in cap space - meaning a Bobrovsky reunion at his reported price was already close to impossible.
Bill Zito is not navigating a crisis. He is navigating a decision the cap made for him before any negotiation started.
Florida's goaltending pipeline is underrated
Roberto Luongo runs Florida's Goaltending Excellence Department, a program that has produced or developed Alex Lyon, Anthony Stolarz, Devon Levi, and Vitek Vanecek.
That track record matters now more than ever.
Jordan Binnington is reportedly on Florida's radar, and Connor Hellebuyck's name is circling as a potential trade candidate this summer.
The Florida Panthers are not staring at a vacancy with no options.
Losing Bobrovsky removes a declining player demanding a rich long-term deal from a team with no cap room to give it.
That is a problem that was already resolving itself.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Two more blockbuster trades expected this week after Brady Tkachuk was dealt to Florida
Two more blockbuster trades expected this week after Brady Tkachuk was dealt to Florida