NHL Free Agency 2019: Florida Panthers will sign Sergei Bobrovsky
According to various reports, the Florida Panthers will ink goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a massive seven-year deal worth around $70 million once NHL free agency starts.
The Florida Panthers have long been linked to goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. According to various reports, they will land him once NHL free agency starts. Bobrovsky will sign a massive seven-year deal worth about $70 million, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Elliotte Friedman had the more precise AAV at $10 million, or thereabouts. The Panthers have coveted him for a while. Bobrovsky to Florida became all but ensured after the retirement of Roberto Luongo and the James Reimer trade from Sunday.
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If this deal seems expensive, that’s because it is. It is the largest deal a free agent goaltender has signed in the salary cap era. Multiple goalies, including Carey Price, have beaten it, but they were not on the free agent market like Bobrovsky.
The Panthers recently drafted top goaltender Spencer Knight with the 13th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, which makes this even more interesting. Bobrovsky should allow Florida to let Knight develop and marinate for as long as he needs to. And once he’s NHL-ready, the Panthers will have a cheap starting goalie, but an expensive backup.
Really, this move isn’t about the future. It’s about right now. The Panthers need to build some credibility and contend immediately. You don’t hire Joel Quenneville to one of the richest deals in NHL history so you can sit around and wait. The reason you do it is to win.
Bobrovsky’s deal is going to look very ugly one day. You could argue it looks ugly right now, especially since he has declined in two consecutive seasons. Bobrovsky turns 31 years old in September and age is very rarely kind to goaltenders.
That said, he’s one of the best goalies in the world. Two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltenders are very rarely on the free agent market. And when they are, it’s usually when they’re towards the end of their career.
Bobrovsky should replace Luongo as the Panthers franchise goaltender. It’s an admittedly risky bet. One can assume the deal is front-loaded and there is most likely a ton of signing bonuses involved. But if Bobrovsky can bounce back from his rough 2018-19 season, and he certainly has the talent to do so, he should be able to give them at least three years of quality play.
The Panthers needed to make a splash this summer, especially after hiring Quenneville. They’ve made a tidal wave. It will probably look very bad in the future, but right now, the Panthers got arguably the best goaltender to hit free agency in the salary cap era.
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General Manager Dale Tallon’s legacy in Florida has been signed to this deal as well. But after hiring Quenneville, he had to go all-in. You’ve got to respect Tallon for having the courage to do that. And if Bobrovsky brings the Stanley Cup to Florida, every penny spent on him will be worth it.