Bobrovsky & Tarasov: Meet Florida’s New Goaltending Duo

The Florida Panthers management continues to surprise everyone by making bold moves. During the offseason, the back-to-back champions traded for a new 6-foot-5 goalie, signed him, and then drafted another 6-foot-6 one in the 7th round.

Not only is size a difference maker, but both netminders are Sergey Bobrovsky's countrymen. The Panthers have three Russian goalies in their system, with Daniil Tarasov, 26, poised to become a promising backup. 

Sergei Bobrovsky

Interestingly, Sergei Bobrovsky, 36, went undrafted and built his name in the league by winning the Vezina Trophy twice. He earned those awards with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012-13 and 2016-17. He also ranked among the best NHL goalies in various categories year after year.

Besides his individual achievements, he won a gold medal with Russia at the 2014 World Championship in Belarus. The veteran also won a silver medal at the 2015 Men's World Championship in the Czech Republic. Bobrovsky has been a huge contributor to Florida's recent run of success, which has seen them make three straight Stanley Cup Finals.

During the two Stanley Cup title parades, fans noticed a change in Bob's appearance. He cuts his hair short after the season. He views it as a relaunching process and grows his hair long during the rest of the year. He credits his partners and God for his on-ice victories and enjoys spending summers in St. Petersburg, Russia, with family and friends.

One of his biggest supporters is legendary Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Tretiak, 73, is a three-time Olympic winner and IIHF Hall of Famer. He's compared Bobrovsky to... a cat.

""Sergei hunts for a puck. He doesn't just sit and wait for it. That's what makes him different from other modern goalies. He is like a cat." "

Vladislav Tretiak

Well, Bobrovsky is a cat in an unlikely location. With two Stanley Cup rings, he has completed his Hall of Fame resume.

His current offseason has included participation in the Match of the Year in Moscow, Russia. It's a charitable game organized by Bobrovsky's close friend and former Columbus teammate, Artemi Panarin.

Fellow Russians Alexander Ovechkin and Mikhail Sergachev also take part in it. The format of the game is NHL and KHL stars playing against each other. Bobrovsky had time to catch up with his NHL opponents from other teams, including Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Entering his 16th season, Bobrovsky is a true leader and role model who's notoriously quiet. Despite that, he is a fiery competitor. Bobrovsky played 54 regular-season and 23 playoff games and racked up over 4,000 minutes of ice time in 2024-2025. It's a significant physical and mental load. It makes sense that Bill Zito and his advisors have been looking for a new backup for their star goalie. Coincidentally or not, they found one from Columbus. 

Daniil Tarasov

Selected with the 86th pick by the Blue Jackets in 2017, Daniil Tarasov spent four seasons with the organization and appeared in 65 NHL games. 61 of those came as a starter. Tarasov was born in the same city as Sergei Bobrovsky, Novokuznetsk.

On his draft day, eight years ago, Tarasov admitted that Bobrovsky went into detail about the great aspects that surround the Blue Jackets club. The newly formed duo already shares a great deal in common. 

Some other NHL players from their hometown include Kirill Kaprizov (F, Minnesota Wild), Dmitry Orlov (D, San Jose Sharks), and Ilya Sorokin (G, New York Islanders). 

Notably, Tarasov's father is a former pro goalie whom Sergei Bobrovsky admired in his childhood. Tarasov Sr. was drafted by the Montreal Canadians with the 196th pick in the 1999 Draft. He played 14 games for their AHL affiliate but never appeared in an NHL game.

Both Tarasovs were a part of the Salavat Yulaev team in Ufa (KHL) at different times. Daniil won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship. Over the years, he had a few health issues, including a hip surgery and a concussion, which prevented him from getting more ice time.

Still, he was able to overcome all his difficulties. At 26, he still has time to unleash his NHL potential. After all, he has size, a great mentor, and a desire to prove himself. Tarasov will learn patience and consistency from Bobrovsky.

Former Panther first-round pick Grigori Denisenko shared that Bobrovsky helps Russian newcomers get into their comfort zone. He does this by hosting dinners or even letting them stay at his house until they make other arrangements.

So, Tarasov and his family will have a strong support system in Sunrise. Sometimes, that's all that's needed for a fresh start—an ocean breeze. Tarasov didn't show the best numbers at his previous stop, with 19 wins, a 3.44 GAA, and a .898 save percentage in 65 NHL games.

He is ready for a new challenge and has adjusted his summer training accordingly. The 26-year-old, now a Florida Panther, has started skating with his friend and goalie coach, Ivan Nalimov, a former KHL player. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014 (179th overall). Coincidentally, Nalimov was also born in Novokuznetsk. 

Panthers in work

The Panthers don't risk much by signing Tarasov to a one-year contract worth a little over a million, according to PuckPedia.

But his physical dimensions played a role. Roberto Luongo, special advisor to the Panthers' general manager, attended a prospect camp hosted by the Gold Star Management Group a few weeks before the 2025 draft in June.

They had five goaltending prospects. Besides trading for the 6-foot-5 Tarasov, the Panthers ended up choosing 6-foot-6 Yegor Midlak in the 2025 Draft (7th round, 224th overall). Midlak, who plays for Spartak Moskva of the MHL, was the tallest netminder at the Gold Star camp and one of the tallest at the 2025 draft.

Another interesting fact is that Midlak's coach is Aleksander Barkov Sr., the father of the Florida Panthers captain. But he is a player in development. As for the Bobrovsky-Tarasov partnership, the second one has received another chance to recharge and prosper in the NHL under the supervision of one of the best goalies in league history.

Bobrovsky has done enough to join the Hall of Fame one day and still has more to offer with a potential three-peat run in 2025-26. In the last two seasons, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner started in 112 games, allowing less than 2.5 goals per game (2.37 and 2.44 GAA, respectively).

As he turns 37 in mid-September, Bobrovsky can use some rest on game days. His work ethic is unquestionable. A minimum of 50 starts should be a comfortable amount for him. Becoming a reliable backup is a manageable goal for Tarasov.

He had 23 starts in the 2023-2024 season and 19 in the 2024-2025 season. The only concern is his health. In the best form, Tarasov should be able to draw 25 starts, at the very least. Everything is in his hands, to be exactly what he is