Ovechkin will have a new Russian partner? Top NHL clubs open hunt for Bobrovsky

One of the main topics for discussion among our hockey fans recently has been the success of Igor Shesterkin: he won the prestigious award for the best goaltender of the season in the NHL. But very soon another Russian goalkeeper will be in the spotlight.

According to ex-NHL player Nick Kipreos, Sergey Bobrovsky can change his club registration very soon. Florida wants to trade the Russian and is even ready to take on 50% of his salary, that is, $ 5 million out of 10. And there is no doubt that the demand for the two-time Vezina owner will be significant.

Where will the Russian goalkeeper continue his career?

Why is the fight for Bobrovsky inevitable?

The signing of the two-time winner of Vezina is a serious bid to fight for the cup. At the same time, Bobrovsky is notable not only for his past merits. To be convinced of his high skill, you don’t have to go far: in the current regular season, he set a club record, becoming the first goalkeeper in the history of Florida with 39 wins in a season.

The statistics of the Russian is generally impressive: Bobrovsky conceded an average of 2.67 goals per game and finished the regular season with a 91% save rate. This is one of the best results in the league!

Excellent form and a powerful reputation as a goalkeeper, as well as a huge discount from Florida, make Bobrovsky attractive to several top clubs at once. Moreover, there are not so many elite-level goalkeepers in the league.

Photo: © Eliot J. Schechter / Contributor / National Hockey League / Gettyimages.com

Only Sergey’s current contract can become an obstacle to the deal. According to expert Mike McKenna, the goaltender’s contract with Florida includes a complete no-trade clause, but this data is unconfirmed. Which of the insiders is right – time will tell.

Toronto is perfect

The manager of Toronto will have to do a lot of work in the near future to find the first number. Negotiations with the main keeper Jack Campbell have not yet been, and they are unlikely to take place, which means that the 30-year-old goalkeeper will soon become an unrestricted free agent. In addition, Toronto did not renew the contract with the goalkeeping coach, which means that the management of the Canadian team is not satisfied with the current state of affairs with the keeper.

Right now, Toronto has Petr Mrazek on a $3.9 million contract and the Canadian team would love to trade him. However, only a desperate club will make such a deal for the 30-year-old Mrazek. And the Florida bosses, judging by the huge discount on Bobrovsky, are just close to despair. So the exchange is quite likely.

In addition to rational arguments in favor of such a trade, American experts also cite esoteric ones. Bobrovsky and Toronto spend the regular season at the highest level, but the goalkeeper and the Canadian team are absolutely unlucky in the playoffs. Perhaps a minus times a minus will give a plus.

“Washington” and “Oilers” will join the fight

In addition to Toronto, there is another Canadian club that is vital to get Bobrovsky – the Oilers. Contrary to the forecasts of critics, the Oilers made it to the Western Conference Finals. And if in the early stages the team managed to win due to its attacking potential, then in the series with Colorado, problems with the goalkeeper put everything in its place. 40-year-old keeper Mike Smith was unable to contain the powerful attack of Evs. After being eliminated from the playoffs, the fans of the Oilers came to the conclusion that they lacked an elite goaltender to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

By signing Bobrovsky, the Oilers management will largely solve the problem of imbalance in the composition. However, if Florida ends up withholding the generous discount, Edmonton will have to drop out of the race for the Russian. The “oilmen” already have so many star players with “fat” contracts, so 10 million for a 33-year-old keeper is an unaffordable luxury for them.

For sure, he will compete for the Russian and Washington. The capital club openly talk about the need to improve the goalkeeping line. Caps general manager Brian McLellan has said he won’t count on Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanechek next season.

I think our goalkeeper decision will be our first decision. And then we move on depending on how much money we have,” MacLellan said.

Taking into account the “gift” from Florida, the signing of Bobrovsky will solve two problems at once: it will strengthen the goalie line and give more room for the expected restructuring of the team. Fortunately, the Caps have $8.9 million to spare. So Alexander Ovechkin may soon have a new partner from Russia.