This John Chayka signing could be a stroke of genius… or a total disaster

Sergei Bobrovsky is officially a Toronto Maple Leaf, and the reaction around the league split fast.

The Maple Leafs are carrying a $7,000,000 cap hit for the 37 year old, way behind league leader Igor Shesterkin at $11,500,000.

That's a lot of money for a goalie whose last season line reads 20 wins, a .876 save percentage and four shutouts across 52 games.

Toronto's crease just got crowded, too. Anthony Stolarz posted a .893 save percentage over 26 games last season, and Artur Akhtyamov logged three appearances at a .864 clip.

Three goalies, one net, and a front office that just spent big to make Bobrovsky the guy.

Context matters here. Toronto closed out last season at 32-36-14, good for 78 points and a rank of 28th overall, and finished the year on a seven-game losing streak.

New head coach Jim Hiller, hired back on June 17, inherits that mess. And now he inherits a $7,000,000 question in net before he's even coached a game.

Florida isn't walking away empty in the crease department either. The Panthers now lean on Jacob Markstrom, who put up a .883 save percentage over 44 games, and Akira Schmid, who posted a .893 mark in 34 appearances.

Hayes calls the Bobrovsky trade a coin flip for Chayka

TSN's Hayes didn't hedge on the broadcast. He said the move is "either going to be brilliant one for Chayka or an absolute disaster."

That's the kind of blunt take that cuts through the noise. Bobrovsky at 37, on a middle-term deal, is either the guy who steals Toronto a playoff round or the contract that sinks a rebuild before it starts.

Here's the thing nobody's saying out loud. Paying $7,000,000 for a 37 year old goalie coming off a .876 season isn't a bold swing, it's a bet that his track record still means something more than his current numbers do.

Florida finished last season 40-38-4 for 84 points, ranked 25th overall, and they're betting Markstrom and Schmid can hold the fort without missing Bobrovsky's résumé.

Toronto's locker room now waits to see which version of Bobrovsky shows up when puck drop actually matters.