Alan Greenberg, FHN Sr. Writer
FORT LAUDERDALE — With Sergei Bobrovsky officially leaving the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, it is hard not to reminisce about the good times.
The sight of him throwing off his gloves and tossing his mask to celebrate two Stanley Cup championships are iconic scenes in South Florida history.
On Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after Bobrovsky signed a three-year deal with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida GM Bill Zito met the media.
The first thing he did was thank the Panthers who were part of the championships but are moving on: Bobrovsky, A.J. Greer, Evan Rodrigues, and Jesper Boqvist.
“It’s hard when you get to know people and you win championships with them and they move along,’’ Zito said. “We appreciate everything they’ve done for our organization.”
Zito was especially complimentary to Bobrovsky, someone he has known since the two were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“A sincere thank you to Sergei Bobrovsky for everything he’s done for our organization,’’ Zito said. “Been with him for a long, long time. Not just on the ice but his contribution in the community. There’s a lot of things that he did for people that aren’t public. Sponsoring a suite for kids; his masks and the various charitable things that he did.”
Hockey is a business and “Bob” chose to make the best deal he can for what is likely his final NHL contract.
The Panthers, too, did what was best for them.
It’s not known if the Panthers made a similar financial offer, but it looks like they probably could have made something work. If they wanted to, that is.
As it is, Bobrovsky gets $21 million from the Maple Leafs over those three years.
Zito explained that he would have liked to re-sign Bobrovsky, but from a business standpoint, it could not happen.
Oh, and there are no hard feelings.
“Any time you want to re-sign a guy, you think there’s a chance,’’ Zito said. “Things happen where decisions get made and people move on. It’s a part of our game. It’s happening across the league everywhere.
“Nothing but appreciation and thanks for Sergei for all he’s done for this organization and for me.”
Bobrovsky leaves behind a legacy of two Stanley Cup titles and a work ethic like no other. Early on, it did not look like the seven-year $70 million contract he signed in 2019 was not going to age well.
He may just be the next Panthers player to reach the Hockey Hall of Fame, supported by the two Cups with Florida and two Vezina Trophies while with Columbus.
In 806 career regular season games, Bobrovsky has a 2.61 goals against average and .912 save percentage. In 117 career playoff games with three teams, he is 2.71/.907.
His 344 regular season games with Florida are topped only by Roberto Luongo’s 572 games. He is second to Luongo with 201 wins.
Bobrovsky played in 83 playoff games, by far more than any other Florida goalie. His 50 playoff wins will not be approached for generations.
Zito explained that bringing in Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid is not something that just happened but was the product of the hard work of Luongo and his goalie department.
Throughout the year, Zito explained, the staff reviews “what if” situations and who could be available for each eventuality.
The implication was that they planned for the potential loss of Bobrovsky.
Bobrovsky went into the trade deadline without a deal, and reportedly, Zito told Carolina he would take a first-round pick for his star goalie.
So, this did not just pop up.
The Panthers and Bobrovsky had a year to come to an agreement.
In an odd twist, it was Markstrom who went to Vancouver in the trade which brought Luongo back to Florida in 2014.
“I communicate ad nauseam,’’ with the goalie department, Zito said. “They are significantly involved and they are great at what they do. I would rely on them for non-goalies as well because they’re such smart hockey people.”
Markstrom was “very excited to come” back to his original team according to Zito.
“He asked me lots of questions.”
Bobrovsky was one of the final free agent signings by former GM Dale Tallon.
At the end of the day, everything worked out fine.
As of now, it looks like Bobrovsky will be sharing goaltending duties with his former Panthers teammate Anthony Stolarz, the two of them winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup together in 2024.
Stolarz, like many former Panthers before him, got a warm welcome upon his return to Sunrise a few months after that Stanley Cup run.
This season’s schedule is not out yet, but be sure the Toronto games will be circled — especially when the Leafs come to town for the first time.
The video tribute for Bobrovsky may be the longest one the team has ever done.
ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON
- NHL Free Agency: Opened Wednesday
- Panthers Development Camp: Thursday; IcePlex, Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA
- Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Preseason (Four Games): Starts Sept. 20 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- 2026-27 NHL Season Opens: Late September; Site, Opponent TBA