Sergei Bobrovsky and Paul Maurice are suddenly staring at Florida's hardest contract fight of the summer.
The new wrinkle came from Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts. Bobrovsky reportedly looked at the new deals Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand got and decided his own number should live in that neighborhood too.
That matters because Florida already paid to keep key pieces. Ekblad got 8 years, while Marchand got 6 years at a 5.25 million cap hit, according to ESPN and the Panthers' official announcements.
Bobrovsky is not coming from a weak position either. NHL.com lists him as a 2-time Vezina winner, and his current Panthers deal was a 7-year contract signed in 2019.
The age piece is what makes this tense. Bobrovsky was born on Sept. 20, 1988, so any long extension would carry deep into his 40s.
That is where this gets uncomfortable for Bill Zito. Florida can respect what Bobrovsky has done and still flinch at matching defenseman and winger money for an older goalie.
The comparison still tells you where Bobrovsky's camp is coming from. If Ekblad and Marchand were rewarded as core pieces, Bobrovsky clearly believes he belongs in the same financial class inside that room.
" Elliotte Friedman: Re Sergei Bobrovsky/Panthers: He looked at the deals that Aaron Ekblad...and Brad Marchand got...and he said well if they get them I should be able to get them too - 32 Thoughts (6/22) "
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Huge Sergei Bobrovsky update has Panthers fans worried
This is not a routine extension talk anymore. It is a leverage play from a veteran who sees the market inside his own room and does not want to be treated like a lesser priority.
The Panthers also do not have endless space to play with. Ekblad, Marchand, and Sam Bennett were all kept as part of Florida's effort to keep its core intact, which means every extra dollar now gets heavier.
From Bobrovsky's side, the argument is simple. Florida kept paying skaters it believes can help it win, and he sees no reason the crease should be treated differently.
From Florida's side, the answer is just as clear. Paying a goalie near age 38 on long term is a different gamble than paying a defenseman or a winger.
That is why Friedman's note landed so hard. Sergei Bobrovsky is not only negotiating a new deal. He is measuring his value against Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand, and that gives this Panthers contract fight a lot more edge.
Should the Panthers pay Sergei Bobrovsky like one of their core stars?
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