Bobrovsky won two Stanley Cups with Panthers. He's ‘excited for what's coming next'

Miami Herald

6 hours ago

You won't see Sergei Bobrovsky having a wild, rambunctious time celebrating the Florida Panthers' second consecutive Stanley Cup championship like many of his teammates. That's not in the stoic, veteran goaltender's demeanor.
'I'm a little different,' Bobrovsky said. 'I celebrate a little different. I don't know. I feel humble and appreciative for the opportunity.'
It's an opportunity Bobrovsky wasn't sure he would experience. He had already been in the NHL for 12 seasons before going on this run with the Florida Panthers that he wasn't sure he would ever experience.
Three consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Final. Two Stanley Cup wins.
But no amount of experience could have prepared him for what it would truly take to understand the demands and the emotions that go into competing for and ultimately winning a Stanley Cup — and then doing it again 12 months later.
Bobrovsky said Florida's first trip to the Cup Final in 2023, when they lost in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights, was where he learned the most at any stage in his career to that point — even though he had already played nearly 650 regular-season games and had eight previous playoff runs under his belt.
'It's a process,' Bobrovsky said. 'The first Cup Final appearance, that experience gave me so much. It gave me a lot more than my 13 or 12 years, how many I played before in the NHL, in the league, so just that whole experience of playoffs and going that deep, it helped so much to learn about what demands there are, what's most important and what's less important. All those things helped me to get the win last year and help us to win this year.'
Bobrovsky is always learning, always growing. He's now 15 seasons into his NHL career that all-but-assuredly will end with him landing in the Hockey Hall of Fame for his longevity and accolades. He's a two-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's top goaltender. He has the 10th-most wins in NHL history (429) despite only playing the 24th-most games in league history by a goaltender (754) and has a chance to climb into the top five in wins by the end of next season. And now he has a pair of Stanley Cup titles to add to that resume.
He's also showing no signs of slowing down.
Bobrovsky, who turns 37 on Sept. 20, is entering the final year of his seven-year, $70 million contract with the Panthers but is playing near the top of his game when it matters the most.
How much longer can Bobrovsky feasibly keep playing? He doesn't want to think that far into the future. Fitting, considering his ability, drive and desire to stay in the moment and prioritize only what's in front of him.
And what's in front of him is good right now.
'It's tough to predict for five years right now,' Bobrovsky said. 'I don't want that because I feel like when you think too much ahead of yourself, you lose the focus on the moment, and I don't want to lose that. I've got so many great things right now, and I value them so much. I live in Florida, in an unbelievable city, an unbelievable environment. I have my great family. My second great family is here. We've got everything great here, and I want to the full advantage of this moment.'
'I'm playing my best hockey right now'
But for the sake of argument, how rare is it for a goaltender Bobrovsky's age to not only continue to play but thrive this late in his career?
It's rare.
Only 12 goaltenders in NHL history have had a season where they have played at least 50 games during their age-37 season or beyond: Marc-Andre Fleury, Craig Anderson, Martin Brodeur, Tim Thomas, Dwayne Roloson, Olaf Kolzig, Ed Belfour, Dominik Hasek, Curtis Joseph, Patrick Roy, Tony Esposito and Johnny Bower.
Fleury and Anderson are the only ones to do so since the 2011-12 season.
Seven of those goaltenders — Brodeur, Belfour, Hasek, Joseph, Roy, Esposito and Bower — are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, with Fleury and Anderson likely locks to be selected in due time.
'Those age categories, not that many people can play at that level,' Bobrovsky said. 'It's just been a journey for me. So I feel like I'm playing my best hockey right now, the last three years or so. I feel good. I'm excited about next season. I feel great physically. I feel great mentally. ... I'm excited for what's coming next. I'm excited for new challenges. I'm excited to go through them with my teammates.'
And they are excited to have Bobrovsky to go through it with them.
After struggling his first four regular seasons with the Panthers, Bobrovsky rounded back into form during the 2023 postseason — Florida's first of three consecutive Cup Final appearances.
During the past three postseasons, Bobrovsky has posted a .912 save percentage in 66 games (65 starts), with Florida winning 44 of his 65 starts.. He has six shutouts in that span — one in 2023, two in 2024 and three in 2025 — and 39 games with two or fewer goals allowed.
'A lot of times you'd say there's some sort of genetic thing, right? He's a freak of nature. He's this incredibly fit guy. He just happens to be able to operate [that well] at 37 years old, but there's so much more than that with Sergei,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. 'You see the amount of time he puts in to be a great pro, and that's the reason why. He's just worked so hard to get right. He's the perfect fit for our team.'
'One moment at a time'
That goes back to his preparation and his mindset.
Bobrovsky is at the point in his career where he knows his body and knows down to the tiniest detail what he needs to do to get ready for game day. His routine is ever-evolving but his mission is to stay where his feet are. Don't look too far back. Don't look too far ahead.
Nothing, not even a pair of Stanley Cup titles, is changing that philosophy.
'I try to stay with one moment at a time, you know?' Bobrovsky said. 'At the moment, I'm just, I appreciate the experience I just had. It's been amazing, and I just want to value that experience and take my time to break it down and enjoy it completely and then think about what's next.'
What's next, in the immediate, is a summer of recharging and refocusing. He'll wind down for a bit, spend some time with his wife and two daughters, enjoy the moments of free time while they're here.
And then, before you know it, the work will begin again. The routine will ramp up. The chase for a third consecutive title will arrive.
A new moment will be upon him.
'Next season, it starts from zero for everybody,' Bobrovsky said. 'There is no advantage. There is nothing we're going to have again. We're going to have our ups and downs. There are low points. If you lose, it's going to be sad. If you win, it's going to be happiness, That's how it goes again. As soon as training camps opens, nobody cares about what happened last year. Everybody's going to be excited for the goal, for the season ahead. Nobody's gonna think about what happened last year. But we have the experience, and we're gonna have to build a new atmosphere, new belief, new trust. We have to bring ourselves back to humble, back to zero and start chipping away, because the potential here is huge in this locker room.'