Bobrovsky Free Agency Odds: Panthers Listed as Odds-On Favorites; Islanders Given +425 Odds
- Sergei Bobrovsky has won the Vezina twice and had a .925 save percentage in the 2019 postseason
- After the non-unexpected retirement of Roberto Luongo, the Panthers are in dire need of a starting goalie
- Coming off a career year, Robin Lehner (2.13 GAA and .930 SV) is another sought-after free-agent netminder
The Florida Panthers look to be the favorite to land free-agent goalie Sergei Bobrovsky as we head to NHL free agency, which starts July 1. The table below shows the latest odds to ink the mercurial two-time Vezina winner.
Odds to Sign Sergei Bobrovsky for 2019-20 Season
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | -280 |
| New York Islanders | +425 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +900 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1000 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | +1000 |
*Odds taken 06/27/19
Bobrovsky is coming off a very strong 2018-19 season in which he posted a 37-24-1 record with a 2.58 GAA and .913 SV%.
Bobrovsky Is The Strongest Free-Agent Goaltender Available
The free-agent pool boasts three top goalies — Bobrovsky, Robin Lehner, and Petr Mrazek. Bobrovsky helped propel Columbus into the playoffs where they shockingly swept the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning. He was also a key reason why the Blue Jackets were able to stay in their second-round series against the Bruins.
Sergei Bobrovsky is on the move. He met with the #FlaPanthers to open the NHL’s free-agent interview period. Next stop: New York. (Source: Instagram sergeibobrovsky) pic.twitter.com/SV7xJVRPnq
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 25, 2019
Florida lost Roberto Luongo to retirement yesterday and while his best days were behind him he was still the best goalie the Panthers had last year. Bobrovsky would solidify the position in a big way and that would be huge for a defensively-suspect group that finished fourth-last in goals against.
Bobrovsky has won the Vezina twice and had a .925 save percentage in the postseason. He’s posted a regular-season save percentage of .918 or better in five of his seven seasons with Columbus.
Is the Islanders Robin Lehner another good free-agent buy?
Robin Lehner’s story is an inspiring one particularly after the NHL Awards last week where he won the Bill Masterton award and spoke about his own mental health and addiction. Lehner had a great season for the New York Islanders where he too helped propel them into the playoffs.
The Islanders were a surprise to make the playoffs finishing second in the Metropolitan Division despite losing superstar center and captain John Tavares.
With a 25-13-5 record, 2.13 GAA, .930 SV%, is Robin Lehner another good buy for the Panthers or another team?
Petr Mrazek the third of three free-agent goalies
Mrazek is a good choice for team’s like the Panthers and after the season he had with Carolina teams will take a serious look at him. He isn’t as strong a goalie as Bobrovsky or Lehner but had solid numbers including a 23-14-3 record, 2.39 GAA, and .914 SV%.
https://youtu.be/O146ObNUKiM
He helped the Hurricanes in a big way as they broke a long playoff drought and made the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Best Bet
While Lehner and Mrazek are good options for many teams, Bobrovsky still holds the best odds and value and the Florida Panthers looked poised to sign him. He should help improve their team and provide some great goaltending depth.
Pick Bobrovsky to sign in Florida (-280)
Ben has been an avid sports fan since the 1980s. Specializing in hockey, baseball, and tech, Ben has contributed to CKNW via his tech blog Vancouver Gadgets and currently writes for SBD, as well as other online publications.
