Sergei Bobrovsky will hit the open market Wednesday, and Leafslatest says the timing lines up perfectly with Toronto's interest.
"Gotta imagine they're one of, if not the favourites, to land him tomorrow," the outlet posted Monday.
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The backdrop matters here. Florida has reportedly moved to acquire a new goaltender in a trade with New Jersey, signaling they won't be bringing Bobrovsky back. That clears the path for him to officially become a free agent.
Jacob Markstrom posted a .883 save percentage in 44 games for New Jersey this season at a $6,000,000 cap hit.
If he's the goaltender heading to Florida, it tells you everything about where the Panthers are pointing for next season.
Bobrovsky posted a .876 save percentage in 52 games this season for Florida, going 20-23. At 37, those numbers represent a real decline from his peak.
Toronto's goaltending crisis makes them the natural landing spot
Toronto allowed 299 goals this season, worst in the Atlantic Division, finishing 32-36-14. Anthony Stolarz posted a .893 save percentage in 26 games, the best mark of Toronto's three goaltenders, but he's never carried a full starter's workload.
Samuel Ersson sat at .869 in 33 games. Dennis Hildeby posted .912 in just 20 games, an intriguing number on a tiny sample size.
None of those numbers settle the question of who starts next season. That's exactly why Bobrovsky's name keeps surfacing in Toronto's direction.
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The connection through Stolarz, who played with Bobrovsky in Florida, adds a layer of familiarity that front offices value.
Bobrovsky also has ties to Toronto forward Steven Lorentz from their shared time with the Panthers.
Whether the Leafs actually land him Wednesday depends on what kind of term and dollar figure Bobrovsky is seeking.
A short-term deal makes sense for both sides. Anything resembling his old $10,000,000 cap hit over multiple years is a different conversation entirely.
The clock starts tomorrow.
Should the Maple Leafs sign Sergei Bobrovsky the moment he hits free agency?
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