Sergei Bobrovsky is a week away from hitting the NHL free-agent market to end a successful seven-year run with the Florida Panthers. His residence in the Atlantic Division may continue, though.
ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported Tuesday the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs headline the group of teams interested in the 37-year-old goalie, whose Hall of Fame résumé includes three All-Star selections, two Vezina Trophies and a pair of Stanley Cup championships. The Sabres and Leafs are Atlantic rivals of the Panthers.
Bobrovsky is coming off a down year as part of a disappointing, injury-riddled Florida season, which saw the Cats miss the playoffs by 15 points. He posted a career-worst .877 save percentage and ranked 97th of 98 qualified goaltenders with minus-23.4 goals saved above average, per Hockey Reference.
Those concerning numbers aside, the Russian netminder, who made previous stops with the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, owns a terrific .912 career SV% and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting as recently as 2024.
Bobrovsky crossed paths with Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen in Columbus. The goalie played for the Jackets from 2012 through 2019, while Kekalainen served as the franchise's GM for 11 years beginning in 2013. He took over Buffalo's front office in December.
Both the Sabres and Maple Leafs are facing questions in the crease ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Buffalo is currently penciled in to move forward with a three-goaltender rotation of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis for a second straight year. UPL and Lyon both faltered considerably during the club's run to the second round of the playoffs, though.
Toronto features two netminders under contract, Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby, as well as a decision to make on impending RFA Samuel Ersson, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Flyers.
Bobrovsky would represent an upgrade for either the Sabres or Leafs based on his 16-year track record, but how confident are those teams he'll bounce back in his age-38 season? It's the same question the Panthers are grappling with as he nears free agency.
Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs should steer clear of Sergei Bobrovsky based on rumored contract demands
Bobrovsky would have value to a club like Buffalo or Toronto on a short-term contract, ideally one year but even a two-year agreement would be acceptable. It'd limit the downside risk if he's not able to regain something close to peak form.
It doesn't sound like the 2014 World Championship gold medalist is interested in that type of contract, though.
Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet previously reported Bobrovsky, despite his age, is seeking a six- or seven-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $42 million. Spreading it over seven years creates a manageable AAV ($6 million), but keeping him on the books until his mid-40s would be reckless.
It's always possible his expectations change if he does hit the open market and those type of long-term offers aren't available. At the same time, there may be a goalie-needy team willing to meet his demands, taking the risk now and likely buying him out at a later date.
Regardless, there's not a ton of evidence he's going to perform at an elite level again.
Bobrovsky ranks 39th among 89 goalies who've played at least 600 minutes over the past three years in goals saved above average per 60 (0.02), according to Natural Stat Trick. He rates in the 30th percentile at the position in HockeyStats.com wins above replacement (WAR) over the same time period.
It feels like league-average results are the most likely outcome, and there's a real chance he doesn't even reach that modest level of performance as he nears 40.
That's why the idea doesn't make sense for either the Sabres, who are already facing some tough salary-cap constraints, or the Leafs, who have more financial flexibility this summer. It doesn't seem like a wise allocation of resources.
Now, if things change over the next few weeks and Bobrovsky's asking price changes, then perhaps Buffalo and Toronto can circle back on the idea. Going back to Florida could be his preference if his desired contract isn't available, though.
The Sabres and Leafs may be better off finding their solution through the trade market, with the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck being the most notable name available.
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