Panthers’ Contract Decision Helped Maple Leafs Land Sergei Bobrovsky

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed on Monday's episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast that Bobrovsky asked Florida for the same contract he eventually received from the Maple Leafs, confirming that the Panthers passed on the chance of signing the goalie to his current deal.

“I heard that was his last ask of Florida, and Florida was not willing to go there,” Friedman said. “I think he's a really motivated guy. I think he wants to prove there is a lot still there.”

That confirmed a similar report from James Mirtle on "The JD Bunkis Podcast." Mirtle said on July 2 that the Panthers were not prepared to go beyond two years for Bobrovsky.

“I was told that Panthers aren’t sure that Bobrovsky still has it,” Mirtle said, “and certainly not committing term. The Panthers were not gonna go above two years for him, and I don't even know that they would have gotten to the dollar number that they're at. Goaltending is just really, really unpredictable.”

Given Friedman and Mirtle's remarks, the signing can be considered both a win and a question for the Maple Leafs.

While Toronto has landed a two-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Vezina Trophy winner, Florida’s refusal to meet the same price raises questions about how the Panthers viewed his potential decline.

Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka, for one, defended the move on July 1, calling Bobrovsky “a real game-changer” and citing his stability, consistency and durability.

Bobrovsky, meanwhile, thought he would stay in Florida and was humble in admitting that the Leafs gave him a new chance, saying, “The Leafs put their trust in me.”