Sergei Bobrovsky: Player Profile

Sergei Bobrovsky was born in Novokuznetsk, Russia, on September 20, 1988. He began his professional hockey career with the second team for Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the Russian third-tier hockey league during the 2004-05 season. Bobrovsky did not see action for Novokuznetsk during this season or the next but did have limited playing time during the 2006-07 season. In eight games, he had a record of 2-1-0 with a 2.79 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage.

The best season that Bobrovsky had with Mettalurg Novokuznetsk was the 2008-09 season, when he had a record of 6-16-2 with a .927 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.49. Novokuznetsk played in the KHL during that season starting during that season, the highest hockey league in Russia. Would Bobrovsky test himself by making the jump to the NHL, the next best hockey league in the entire world, or decide to stay in Russia, where he was born and spent his entire professional hockey career?

Sergei Bobrovsky Signed by Philadelphia Flyers After Not Being Drafted

One of the main reasons that Bobrovsky was not drafted by any NHL team was the “Russian factor.” At the time when Bobrovsky was eligible to be drafted, NHL teams were worried that he would opt to stay in the KHL. The Philadelphia Flyers signed Bobrovsky out of Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the KHL. Beginning in the 2004-05 season, Bobrovsky played for Metallurg for nine seasons. During the 2006-07 season, Bobrovsky had a 2-1-0 record with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage in eight games played for Metallurg of the VHL.

How would Bobrovsky perform in his first season with the Flyers? During the 2010-11 Philadelphia Flyers season, Bobrovsky had a record of 28-13-8 in 54 games started. In these 54 games, Bobrovsky had a goals-against average of 2.13 with a save percentage of .929. With a record of 47-23-12, the Flyers finished in first place in the Atlantic Division. The Flyers would lose to the Boston Bruins in four games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

After two seasons with the Flyers, the team traded Bobrovsky to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In exchange, the Flyers received a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks. Bobrovsky spent seven seasons with the Blue Jackets. In that time, the Blue Jackets made the Stanley Cup playoffs four times. The one thing that Bobrovsky could not do in Columbus was win the Stanley Cup. Bobrovsky would sign a seven-year, $70 million contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2019.