Belief is Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers Will Work Something Out
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period joined Erika Watcher on NHL Network was asked about what is going to happen with Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers. Is there a chance he leaves Florida?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Erika Watcher: “Let’s flip to the back-to-back champs now. They figure to compete once again next season, of course, and benefit from this rest, but they could be doing it with a new goaltender. What do you expect Sergei Bobrovsky’s market to look like as he hits unrestricted free agency?”
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Dave Pagnotta: “Well, he wants to stay in Florida, I think that’s the preference, Erika. He wants to stay there, but he also wants term by every indication. And I don’t know if he’s 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’s what he’s looking for. And right now, they have 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 kicked the tires on Sergei Bobrovsky. At the same time, where these teams are at right now, they’re pretty good in that, but other teams are going to be looking to see where they’re at with their goaltending and what’s happening with Bobrovsky.
It wouldn’t 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. I think the Panthers certainly would like to keep him, but at the same time, they’re going to do their due diligence as well, and look to see what other options might be available if Bob leaves.
One guy, I think, on their radar is St. Louis’s Jordan Binnington, who’s going to be entering the final year of his contract. Again, priorities are to keep Bob, but Florida will look at their options if that’s not the case.”
NHLRumors.com Note: Sergei Bobrovsky was the subject of trade talks north of the border, as sometimes being local is better. The Panthers’ starting goalie made it clear after the trade deadline that he wants to remain in Florida. GM Bill Zito and the players want to keep Bobrovsky because they know they can win with him.
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However, this is a business. Bobrovsky is 38 years old. Do the Panthers want to give him a four to five-year deal? Is a two-to three-year deal better? Would the ideal contract be one-year deals with signing bonuses to help the Panthers with the cap?
The belief is that Bobrovsky and the Panthers will work something out. It is a negotiation after all. But as one source said, “It would be shocking if Bobrovsky got to July 1st.”
Could he get something around $6 million-$7 million on an AAV? It will be interesting to see how the Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky make this happen. If they can’t do it, they look to move the ninth overall pick to get a goalie? Connor Hellebuyck, Binnington, or someone else?
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