The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year, $7 million AAV contract, according to league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations that are not public.
Bobrovsky will turn 38 in September and is coming off a season with the injury-plagued Florida Panthers. He posted career-worst save percentage (.877) and goals saved above expected (-17.6).
Although it was a difficult season for the likely future Hockey Hall of Famer, Bobrovsky was just a year removed from the Panthers making three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and winning two. He is one of the most decorated goalkeepers of the current generation.
Bobrovsky won two Vezina Trophies with Columbus in 2013 and 2017 and leads all active goaltenders with 456 career wins.
The Russian goalkeeper’s recent accomplishments in the playoffs are impressive. His 44 wins since 2023 aren’t just the best in the NHL; they are 12 behind the nearest goalkeeper. He has a .912 save percentage in the playoffs and a league-best 26.14 saves above expected during that span. His 61 career playoff wins are second among active goaltenders and 16th all-time.
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Risk for Leafs
It’s not hard to see what the Leafs are thinking here.
They’re desperate to turn things around next season and hopefully get hold of captain Auston Matthews because of it.
In Bobrovsky, they got a goalie with a strong NHL resume, including two Stanley Cup titles as No. 1 with the Florida Panthers. He’ll play and play a lot, and if the Leafs can get back to the playoffs, he has experience doing the job there.
It’s still a risky bet.
Bobrovsky had the worst season of his NHL career and will become one of the league’s oldest goaltenders next season. The Leafs expect him to play more than 50 games, plus possibly more in the playoffs.
We can assume that he will return to form next season and bring them some value in this contract. — Jonas Siegel