The 2026 off-season is upon us, and in no time, everyone will be watching the NHL Draft (June 26-27) and then anxiously waiting for free agency to begin on July 1. It is no secret that the Florida Panthers do not have a goalie on their roster, because the franchise’s best puckstopper is actually a free agent.
At 37 years old, Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Stanley Cup and two-time Vezina Trophy winner, tops The Athletic’s free agency board 3.0, released on June 16. Not only did he make the list, but he’s ranked fifth overall and the highest-ranked netminder available.
After competing in the Stanley Cup Final for three consecutive seasons, Bobrovsky had what some would call a sub-par season in 2025-26, going 27-23-1 with a .877 SV% and 3.07 GAA. His SV% and GAA were the worst of his tenure with the Panthers.
Overall, in seven seasons with Florida, he’s compiled a 201-113-21 record with a .903 SV% and 2.80 GAA. There’s online chatter among the fanbase, given his age and recent performances, that it wouldn’t be wise for the club to re-sign him. Many are fearful that Bill Zito could overcommit to a franchise legend and end up with a bad contract, due to declining performance, in just a couple of seasons.
However, there’s no denying that Bobrovsky has built a resume worthy of induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. According to Chris Johnson, who compiled this list for The Athletic, both the player and the club have reached a “stalemate” over a new contract. Considering this may be the last big payday of his career, of course, Bobrovsky is looking out for his best interests. On the other hand, the Panthers need to be financially responsible while also thinking about their future, and if Bobrovsky can’t perform at a high level at 39 or 40, then they could be in trouble.
Right now, Florida’s core, including Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, and Gustav Forsling, is all signed through the 2029-30 season. As one of the highest-paid goalies in today’s game, he is coming off a year where he made $10 million. Therefore, if Bobrovsky is serious about staying with the Panthers, he’d have to consider a pay cut to keep the band together.
Interestingly, Bobrovsky isn’t the only netminder to crack the top 20, as his former Stanley Cup Final opponent, Stuart Skinner, occupies the 20th spot. Right after him is reigning champion Frederick Andersen, and the next closest free-agent goalie in the top 50 is Connorr Ingram (40th) and Cam Talbot (41st).
Until news breaks that the Panthers have either signed Bobrovsky, traded for another starter, or signed one of the other names on this list, it will be an intriguing few weeks to be a Florida fan.
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