Sergei Bobrovsky signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs this afternoon, and the crease situation in Toronto just changed completely.
The deal is three years at $7 million a year, according to Frank Seravalli.
Bobrovsky is 37 years old. He spent last season with the Florida Panthers, carrying a $10 million cap hit there.
He played 52 games for Florida this season, posting a .876 save percentage with four shutouts.
The Panthers finished 40-38-4 with a minus-25 goal differential and closed the season on a three-game winning streak.
Toronto needed this. The Maple Leafs finished 32-36-14, sat at minus-46 in goal differential, and dropped their final seven games of the year.
Scotiabank Arena's videoboards were already flashing Bobrovsky's name and photo under the goalie tag before this afternoon's news even settled.
Toronto's crease problem just got an expensive answer
Anthony Stolarz played 26 games in Toronto this season and posted a .893 save percentage.
Dennis Hildeby appeared in 20 games at a .912 save percentage, and Artur Akhtyamov got three starts at .864.
Can a 37-year-old goalie really anchor a three-year term at this price? Toronto is betting yes.
This is a bet on age, not analytics, and it is not a cheap one.
Florida general manager Bill Zito now needs a new answer in net after years of stability there.
Toronto has to prove the term makes sense. Florida has to prove the crease does not fall apart without him. Neither answer is clear yet.
Toronto finally has their number one goalie, a decent one they missed the passed years. John Chayka is doing a great job so far.
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Is Toronto's $7 million bet on 37-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky a mistake?
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