Last week, THN Florida began a series that will examine current members of the Florida Panthers who could someday have their number retired by the team. The first player we discussed was probably the one most likely to have his jersey hanging in the rafters someday, and that was Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/which-current-panthers-could-eventually-have-their-numbers-retired-we-start-with-the-captain]. This time, we’re going to take a look at the man who has been arguably Florida’s most important playoff performer. The past six seasons in South Florida have been quite a roller coaster for Sergei Bobrovsky. It was all the way back in 2019 when the veteran goaltender signed a massive 7-year, $70 million contract with the Florida Panthers. He was viewed as a steadying force between the pipes that would backstop the team to the kind of success that the franchise had not seen, really, ever. The kind of core piece that would eventually have his number hanging in the rafters. Well, as it turns out, that’s exactly what has happened with Bobrovsky, but the path taken to arrive where we are now was more than a little rocky at the start. Bob’s first few years with the Panthers were not his best, though the team in front of him was far from the defensive juggernaut that Florida can now be considered. His incredible athleticism and propensity for flashy saves were not being utilized properly until Paul Maurice showed up in Sunrise. When Maurice installed his physical, aggressive defensive systems, they came with a renewed vigor for the team to take away opportunities between the circles and clean up any second chance pucks before they can be whacked home on a rebound. Florida’s ability to execute Maurice’s systems extremely well combined with Bobrovsky taking his game to another level during the Stanley Cup Playoffs have yielded some truly amazing results. Now here we are, entering the final year of Bob’s deal, and he’s going to be remembered as one of the best players this franchise ever acquired. Back-to-back Stanley Cup victories. A Vezina consideration. Conn Smythe votes. An All-Star appearance. On the Panthers all-time goaltending rankings, Bobrovsky is second to only Roberto Luongo in games played, wins and saves. Not only has Bobrovsky cemented himself as a future Hockey Hall of Famer, but it’s probably also safe to say that Bob will someday have his No. 72 hanging in the rafters in Sunrise. Do you agree? Let us know in the comment section below. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Panthers GM Bill Zito brings Stanley Cup to Florida Keys for fun with dolphins, seals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-gm-bill-zito-brings-stanley-cup-to-florida-keys-for-fun-with-dolphins-seals] Pair Of Two-Way Forwards Could Impact The Panthers At Both The NHL And AHL Level [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/pair-of-two-way-forwards-could-impact-the-panthers-at-both-the-nhl-and-ahl-level] The Hockey Show: Stanley Cup days, offseason activities and ranking fictional coaches [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/the-hockey-show-stanley-cup-days-offseason-activities-and-ranking-fictional-coaches] Seth Jones shares Stanley Cup with youth hockey players at Dallas-area rink he called home as a teen [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/seth-jones-shares-stanley-cup-with-youth-hockey-players-at-dallas-area-rink-he-called-home-as-a-teen] Positive Shooting Regression Should Help Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe Regain His Scoring Touch [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/positive-shooting-regression-should-help-panthers-carter-verhaeghe-regain-his-scoring-touch] Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
