2023-24 Season Rewind: Sergei Bobrovsky 

Sergei Bobrovsky continues to age like a fine wine.

That is, of course, if you could make wine from bricks.

A wall between the pipes for the Florida Panthers throughout the 2023-24 campaign, the 35-year-old veteran posted a 36-17-4 record with a .915 save percentage and six shutouts.

Finally adding a Stanley Cup to a resume that already included a pair of Vezina Trophies, Bobrovsky also tallied 16 more wins during the playoffs with a 2.23 goals-against average.

From Game 1 of the regular season until the Cup was lifted above his head, the “Bob-by!” chants never stopped.

“It’s all a team-effort,” Bobrovsky said. “I’m nothing without my teammates and coaches. Everybody has their piece of the puzzle. I just appreciate being part of this team.”

When Bobrovsky was in net last season, the plan for the Panthers was simple.

Score three goals and a point is almost guaranteed.

Over his 58 regular-season appearances, Bobrovsky allowed three or fewer goals 48 times, including 32 games in which he surrendered two or fewer goals. Among goaltenders with at least 50 appearances, his 2.37 goals-against average was the best in the NHL in 2023-24.

Particularly strong away from home, Bobrovsky went 17-8-3 with a .920 save percentage on the road. From Dec. 16 through Feb. 17, he won eight straight games on the road while boasting a .937 save percentage to go along with a paltry 1.86 goals-against average.

“I’m very thankful to God for this opportunity, for this position I’m in,” Bobrovsky said. “I play for an outstanding organization with a great group of guys in front of 20,000 great fans.”

After 30 years of waiting, he also helped treat those fans to their first-ever Stanley Cup.

Of the 24 playoff games he appeared in, he allowed two or fewer goals 16 times.

Saving his best for last, he played the game of his life in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Helping limit Edmonton’s high-powered offense to just a single goal, the stopped 23 of 24 shots to help lead the Panthers to a 2-1 win and bring Lord Stanley to South Florida.

In the win, he had six high-danger saves and 1.62 goals saved above expected.

Based on how he played all season, “Bob” coming up in a big game seemed like a given.

“I can’t say enough about him,” teammate Carter Verhaeghe said of Bobrovsky’s play. “He works so hard. To have him back there, we just have so much confidence. We’re just trying to play as hard [on defense] as we can. When we need him, he always comes up big.”

COOL STAT

Seven was Bobrovsky’s lucky number this season.

As in he went on a two separate seven-game winning streaks.

Matching his longest streak of success with the Panthers, Bobrovsky won seven straight games from Dec. 23 through Jan. 4. During that stretch he posted a .923 save percentage while helping the Panthers pick up wins over teams like Vegas, Tampa Bay and Colorado.

Just a few games after that streak ended, Bobrovsky kicked off another seven-game run that stretched from Jan. 24 through Feb. 20. Even better this time around, he produced a .944 save percentage while surrendering just two or fewer goals in all seven games that he won.

A model of consistency, Bobrovsky never went more than three games without backstopping the Panthers to at least a point.

BEST GAME

It took the Oilers one game to see what Bobrovsky was all about in the Stanley Cup Final.

Turning in an all-time performance on hockey’s biggest stage, the veteran goaltender stopped all 32 shots he faced in a 3-0 win at Amerant Bank Arena in Game 1 on June 30.

Per NaturalStatTrick.com, 13 of those saves were from high-danger areas.

Shutting down Edmonton’s dynamic duo, Connor McDavid (6 shots) and Leon Draisaitl (4 shots) went a combined 0-for-10 against Bobrovsky.

“It’s fun to play those guys, those elite guys and it’s a fun atmosphere," Bobrovsky said of his stellar showing. "I am just alive for the opportunity, and I enjoy every second of it.”

Letting the Panthers settle in, Bobrovsky made 14 saves in the first period alone.

None were bigger than his breakaway stop on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to keep the Panthers up 1-0.

“He was incredible tonight,” teammate Evan Rodrigues said. “He did everything for us.”

Bobrovsky finished the game with 3.73 goals saved above expected, per NaturalStatTrick.com.

SAVE OF THE YEAR

Was this even a question?

Bobrovsky made 1,977 save between the regular season and playoffs.

Only one of them has a name.

“The Bobbery."

With the Panthers and Lightning tied 2-2 in the second period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round, Bobrovsky sent jaws to the floor when he dove across the crease to make a blind stunning save with his left arm on Tampa Bay defenseman Matt Dumba.

Florida went on to win 3-2 in overtime and eventually claimed the series in five games.

“I think the first shot he missed the net and the second one I was a little bit late behind the play,” Bobrovsky said of his social-media shattering stop. “It was desperation, I tried to throw as much body as possible and was able to make the save.”

Soon after the save was made, the Panthers made a shirt to commemorate it.

You can find it at FLATeamShop.com.