The Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of a dog fight for a playoff spot in the crowded Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. The Canadiens didn't make a big move to put them over the edge, but that wasn't without trying. Ahead of the March 6 deadline, the Canadiens were linked to goaltending options, as that has been a major area of weakness this season. Ultimately, Montreal stuck with their three options on the roster in hopes it improves down the stretch.
Entering this offseason, goaltending should be their top priority in free agency. There is one option in Sergei Bobrovsky, who is coming off of two Stanley Cup championship with the Florida Panthers. But new reporting suggests that pursuing him could be costly.
In the latest edition of his 32 Thoughts column, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman says that during negotiations with the Panthers, Bobrovsky was looking for a contract similar to what the team gave forward Brad Marchand last offseason. For those unaware, Florida gave Marchand a six-year contract with an annual salary of $5.25 million. Ultimately, the Panthers were not willing to do a similar deal for Bobrovsky.
"I don’t know where it’s going to go with Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida. But there is word that the contract Brad Marchand signed (six years, $5.25 million AAV) was, at one point, used as some kind of a comparable. Marchand signed that at age 37. Bobrovsky is 37. Panthers were not willing to do it. Not sure where it stands now," writes Friedman.
Sergei Bobrovsky's asking price in Panthers negotiations should scare off Canadiens
Look, it's unknown if Bobrovsky were to have a similar ask for teams in free agency. Friedman stressed that that was his asking price "at one point." But it should be a cause for concern for the Canadiens if they do seek out an external option at goaltender.
Bobrovsky is 37 years old, and is in the midst of a down season, posting a .879 save percentage and a 3.00 goals allowed average, both of which are down from the past two Stanley Cup-winning campaigns. It's certainly not ideal, but his track record would catapult him to the top of the list for goaltender-needy teams.
There is going to be uncertainty as to whether Bobrovsky could rebound and put up similar numbers as he did in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons on a new team. Plus, he'd have to prove that this season was a blip on the radar. But committing potentially six years for Bobrovsky is a risk, especially for a team like the Canadiens who have committed to their youth movement.
There could be other goaltending options. There is Jordan Binnington, who was floated at the trade deadline by the St. Louis Blues. With one year remaining on his contract, that could probably be their best bet, as Binnington is younger and can use the 2026-27 season as a tryout to see if he can be the long-term answer.
While Bobrovsky would be the enticing option for fans, the questions about the term and money he's looking for on a contract could be enough for the Canadiens and their fans to say, "you know what, we're good."