The Florida Panthers are getting ready for a Stanley Cup parade through Fort Lauderdale Beach, FL, thanks in no small part to their goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky. The 35-year-old netminder is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but for the second season in a row, he played his absolute best hockey in the postseason and powered his team into the Stanley Cup Final. No, he did not secure the Conn Smythe Trophy (which went to Connor McDavid), though he was projected as the favorite after Game 3 of the series. But Conn Smythe or not, Bobrovsky’s performance in these playoffs settles a debate that began to bubble up during his epic run to his first Stanley Cup: yes, he is a future Hockey Hall of Famer.
2 Vezinas in Columbus
Bobrovsky went undrafted as a relatively unknown Russian goaltender but would sign with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010. He first gained some notoriety when Canadian media personality Jay Onrait began comedically referring to him as “The Number One Cop on the Force.” Despite some flashes of brilliance, though, he could not find a consistent home with Philadelphia, and before the 2012-13 season, they traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Bobrovsky exploded onto the scene in Columbus, using his newfound opportunity to start 37 of 48 games in the shortened season. He posted a .932 save percentage (SV%) and 2.00 goals-against average (GAA) with 21.5 goals saved above average (GSAA), the best mark in the league in that last stat. The performance earned him the Vezina Trophy for the NHL’s best goaltender. But Bobrovsky wasn’t done. He’d have a few more good seasons in Columbus before having the best of his career in 2016-17. Then, he would lead the league in SV% (.931), GAA (2.06), and GSAA (33.5) while starting 63 games. He earned 25 of 30 first-place votes and captured his second Vezina Trophy at age 28. He even finished third in Hart Trophy voting. Bobrovsky would become and remain the only active two-time Vezina Trophy winner for much of his career, until earlier this week, when Connor Hellebuyck captured his second.
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Despite his accomplishments, the Blue Jackets could never put it all together during his tenure there and only made the postseason four times. In his final season, when it was clear he wouldn’t re-sign to remain in Ohio, they took a gamble and refused to trade him, making the deepest playoff run in the history of the franchise. Knowing the risks, they let Bobrovsky hit unrestricted free agency, where he would depart for greener and sunnier pastures.
Success in the Sunshine State
The Florida Panthers struck while they could, luring Bobrovsky with a massive contract that many viewed as a gamble. The seven-year, $70 million deal was an attempt to fix Florida’s poor goaltending, put the team on the map, and prove they were ready to win. It took a while. He had a tough first two seasons in his new home and drew a lot of criticism for not performing up to his contract. But in another shortened season in 2021-22, he proved he still had what it takes to be a top goaltender, winning the most games (39) and carrying an 8.7 GAA. Still, some Panthers analysts thought young netminder Spencer Knight should start heading into the postseason that summer.
Bobrovsky wouldn’t truly earn back the full trust of the Panthers’ faithful until the 2022-23 postseason when he was arguably the best goaltender of the postseason. Though he ran out of steam in the final series against the Vegas Golden Knights, he was the main reason Florida even made it that far, and his .915 SV%, 2.78 GAA, and 7.1 GSAA were the difference that kept them in the running to the end.
Still, with the bitter taste of defeat in his mouth, Bobrovsky entered the 2023-24 season with one goal left on his resume: the Stanley Cup. There was little doubt that Florida would make the playoffs, but could they repeat their run of the season prior? With the help of their goaltender, they did. For the second season in a row, he played the most games, logged the most minutes, and made the most saves of any goalie in the postseason. Early in the Stanley Cup Final, he was the consensus favorite for the Conn Smythe and the hall of fame question was being asked a lot. And though he struggled to put the Edmonton Oilers away after Florida’s first three wins, he showed up big time in Game 7, saving 23 of 24 shots against and helping Florida win a one-goal game.
A Hall of Fame Resume
Bobrovsky has two more seasons left on his contract with Florida. When it ends, he will be a couple months away from turning 38. But he has some time to pad the resume. He currently sits 14th in wins with 396. With health, he will clearly hit 400 and will likely pass Chris Osgood, Grant Fuhr, and Glenn Hall. If he can catch Tony Esposito at 423, he will move into the top 10. With two more healthy seasons, he could fairly easily move into the elite territory above 450.
But even if his career fades quicker than we expect, his Hall of Fame resume is set. He has won two Vezina Trophies, only one of two active goalies to do so, and finished in the top three again this season. He’s been a Hart Trophy Finalist. He single-handedly kept the Blue Jackets semi-relevant for most of his career there and arguably got less recognition than he should at the time for playing in relative obscurity. Now, he’s captured hockey’s ultimate prize with two back-to-back sensational postseasons, helping a 30-year franchise capture its first-ever Stanley Cup. Unquestionably, he has built the resume of a Hockey Hall of Fame member. The Hall of Fame is often unpredictable, but if it snubs Bobrovsky when his time comes, that will be inexplicable.
