Russian goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, 37, is reportedly set to enter the NHL Free Agency on July 1, to end his glorious seven-year chapter at the Florida Panthers.

David Pagnotta, the Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Period, spoke about Bobrovsky’s status to host Jamison Coyle during the NHL Tonight show on the NHL Network.

“It looks like [Sergei] Bobrovsky is gonna be leaving for free agency,” said Pagnotta to Coyle on Friday, June 26, edition of the show.

Pagnotta's update on the NHL Tonight show about Bobrovsky was in response to the question about goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s future at the Winnipeg Jets.

Pagnotta noted that the Jets had a breakdown in talks with the Buffalo Sabres about trading Hellebuyck, making Bobrovsky one of their alternative options. He also mentioned that the New Jersey Devils are in the mix as another alternative option for the Jets to trade Hellebuyck.

Notably, Bobrovsky will see out his current seven-year, $70 million contract, signed with the Panthers on July 1, 2019, at the end of this month. With the $10 million average annual value (AAV) deal expiring in mere days and no new contract in sight, he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA).

In a report published in Sportsnet recently, it was mentioned that Bobrovsky wanted a massive $42 million contract over six or seven years from the Panthers. But the franchise apparently didn’t agree to his demands because of his age and performance.

If Bobrovsky gets his preferred deal to continue with Florida in the next couple of days, it would mean his stay extends to June 30, 2033, just before he turns 45 years of age. He will turn 38 years old on September 20 of this year.

Bobrovsky’s performances in the 2025-26 season weren’t quite up to his normal standards either.

How did Sergei Bobrovsky perform for the Florida Panthers last season?

During the 2025-26 season, Bobrovsky played 52 games for a 27-23-1 record with a .877 save percentage, 3.07 goals-against average, and four shutouts at the Florida Panthers. It was the worst save percentage and joint-second-worst goals-against average in his 16-season-long career in the NHL.

His performance was a key factor for the Panthers not making the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite being the favorites for the entire thing. They had won the Cup on back-to-back occasions in 2024 and 2025, with most of their core players returning for the last season.

But Bobrovsky’s status as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL for the better part of the last two decades can’t really be taken away by a season of tough results. He is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner for the best goaltender in 2013 and 2017 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Reports from around the league have recently connected Bobrovsky to the Maple Leafs, particularly after Toronto sent Joseph Woll to Philadelphia.

"NEWS: Darren Dreger on OverDrive mentioned that the Maple Leafs are high on Sergei Bobrovsky's list if the Panthers don't re-sign him #LeafsForever," tweeted OverDrive on June 26.

Which team will Sergei Bobrovsky join in the NHL from the 2026-27 season onward? Share your prediction in the comments.

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar