George Richards, FHN Publisher
FORT LAUDERDALE — You do not see Sergei Bobrovsky smile much when he is on the ice for the Florida Panthers.
In postgame interviews, the star goalie sometimes offers a shy grin, but he plays it pretty seriously there as well.
There are moments, however, if you are around the Panthers enough, where you will see Bobrovsky loosen up.
It comes after victories, sure, but in practices and off the ice.
Although Bobrovsky speaks of himself infrequently, his numbers speak for him.
So do his teammates.
They love having Sergei Bobrovsky as their goaltender.
And he loves being their goalie.
“I really do enjoy the opportunity I have, to be the goalie for this team and being a part of this group here,” Bobrovsky told Florida Hockey Now on New Year’s Day.
“I am happy to come here every day.
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We have a great group of guys. This is a great atmosphere. It feels great coming here to put in the work and enjoy the work. We go through the challenge together. That is fun.’’
Bobrovsky spoke of stability, both on and off the ice, which has made this time one he truly appreciates.
Having the team’s new training facility just a few miles from the waterfront home he shares with his wife Olga and their young daughter Carolina only helps.
Bobrovsky is known as a workhorse in the gym and being so close to home only allows him to stay longer.
“Things are stable and balanced for me in a number of different areas,’’ he said. “Everything has seemingly come together and I really appreciate it.’’
The relationship between Bobrovsky and his teammates is a close one, and that was on display Saturday afternoon.
After getting run into by Colorado’s Samuel Girard, Matthew Tkachuk jumped on top of Girard while he was down on the ice and still in the cage.
Tkachuk ended up fighting with a number of Colorado players in the aftermath and took a pair of penalties for it. As he was skating to the penalty box, Tkachuk stopped for a few words with his goalie.
You would do well to have a friend have your back like Tkachuk does.
“We’re just super lucky,’’ Tkachuk said during the playoffs, “to have him as the backbone of the team.’’
Said Sam Bennett: “We know we’ve got a guy back there who is going to fight and do whatever it takes. It’s a lot of fun playing when you have a goalie playing like that.”
Things had not always gone the way Bobrovsky or the Panthers hoped during his first three seasons here.
After signing, what was at the time, the largest contract in franchise history in 2019, Bobrovsky was benched by coach Joel Quenneville following a loss in Washington over the Thanksgiving weekend that year.
Bobrovsky bounced back the following season and helped the Panthers to the playoffs, but by the end of their opening series against Tampa Bay, Spencer Knight was starting with Chris Driedger the backup.
He helped the Panthers to the second round of the playoffs in 2022 but when the postseason started in 2023, Bobrovsky was backing up Alex Lyon.
When Bobrovsky got back into the net for the Panthers midway through Game 3 of the Boston series, he was ready to go.
And, Bobrovsky ended up being at his absolute best during the Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring.
In Game 3 of the Panthers’ eventual win over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, the chants for Bobrovsky were deafening.
Bobrovsky certainly hear them.
“It makes me appreciate our fans, they are the best fans,” he said. “I am happy, we are happy, to give them this.”
Bobrovsky won his next start after that, making it to the Cup Final for the first time in his career.
Talking to him a few days afterward and, no, you could not wipe the smile off of his face.
“These two months have been an unbelievable experience,” Bobrovsky said.
“You have no idea what is going to happen. You have to enjoy the hockey. This is the best hockey ever and it reminds you of how hard you work to get here. There are so many good teams out of the playoffs and we’re still alive.”
The Panthers ended up losing in the Final to Vegas, but Bobrovsky and the rest of the Panthers have carried some of that momentum into this season.
Florida is currently riding a seven-game winning streak and its 52 points are near the top of the league.
Bobrovsky has a personal six-game winning streak and is enjoying a strong season at 19-9-1 with a 2.39/.914.
His 19 wins, the most important stat to Bobrovsky, is tied for second in the league; his goals-against is sixth. His goals-saved above average of 8.27 ranks eighth.
“We plat for the win,” he said. “At the end of the day, it does not matter the score and it does not matter what your statistics were. We just want to win. From my point of view, I just have to make sure I give these guys that chance each and every night.”