The reason Sergei Bobrovsky left Panthers wasn’t about money

Sergei Bobrovsky backstopped the Florida Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025, but the veteran netminder surprisingly closed that chapter of his career to join the rival Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency.

Bobrovsky signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Leafs, and as RG’s Daria Tuboltseva reported earlier this week, the Russian was willing to take a pay cut to remain in Florida.

The disconnect was over a no-trade clause, which Panthers general manager Bill Zito was not prepared to include in the contract. Toronto GM John Chayka had no problem promising it, offering the 37-year-old full trade protection for the duration of the deal.

“Toronto’s John Chayka immediately agreed to Sergei’s terms. He said: ‘We can offer a $7 million salary. That’s all the free cap space we have,'” a source told RG.

Tuboltseva also reported that the Panthers initially offered Bobrovsky a one-year, $4 million contract extension before improving the offer to two years at a $6 million annual average value.

Talks then broke down over the trade protection, and Bobrovsky ultimately chose the $7 million per year and full no-trade protection that the Maple Leafs were offering.

It’s still a significant pay cut from the contract he originally signed with Florida in 2019 after spending several seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That seven-year pact was worth $70 million.

The two-time Vezina Trophy winner will now step into the starting role in Toronto after struggling during the 2025-26 season, one in which the Panthers missed the playoffs. Florida has since revamped its goalie room by adding Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils and Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights.

Both the Maple Leafs and Panthers will be looking to rebound from forgettable campaigns, with the Atlantic Division rivals eyeing playoff berths next spring.

It’s the toughest division in hockey, with all eight teams hoping to remain competitive down the stretch. That should make for another thrilling 2026-27 season as Bobrovsky looks to win a third Stanley Cup — and help bring one to Toronto for the first time since 1967.