Do Panthers have a goalie competition? Sergei Bobrovsky, Chris Driedger shed some light
The Florida Panthers’ acquisition of Sergei Bobrovsky was supposed to make at least one part of Joel Quenneville’s decision-making this year simple. Instead, it only constantly complicated it.
Bobrovsky came to South Florida last year as a two-time Vezina Trophy winner — a legitimate superstar goaltender who, theoretically, would stabilize an otherwise underwhelming defense. Chris Driedger joined the Panthers last year with just three games of NHL experience and none since 2016 — an NHL backup, at best, and more likely a contributor for AHL Springfield.
It never was so simple in the regular season.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in net,” defenseman Mackenzie Weegar said in the third episode of team-produced documentary series “Panthers Uncaged,” which aired Wednesday on Fox Sports Florida. “I think we all feel great whoever’s playing goalie for us.”
Bobrovsky started the vast majority of games in the abbreviated regular season, putting up a 23-19-6 record in 48 starts with 3.23 goals against average and .900 save percentage. Driedger, who started only 11 games, actually bested Bobrovsky in most every category, posting a 7-2-1 record with a 2.05 goals against average and .938 save percentage.
Heading into the four-month COVID-19 layoff, Driedger was handling starting duties in net as Bobrovsky dealt with a lower-body injury, but the goalie is healthy now and poised to start in goal against the New York Islanders in the qualifying round for the Stanley Cup playoffs next month. As good as Driedger was in the regular season, there’s a reason the Panthers signed Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70-million deal in the offseason.
“He was disappointed with his season up to now,” general manager Dale Tallon said in May. “I think he has something to prove and that’s a good thing, so I expect him to be at the top of his game and when he’s at the top of his game you have a chance to win.”
Either way, Driedger has made it so the Panthers can have a shorter leash with Bobrovsky than they anticipated.
“His routine is pretty intense. It’s the most in-depth routine I’ve ever witnessed and I came in this year thinking, Oh, I’ve got a pretty good routine, it’s pretty intensive and then I look at him and I’m doing about a quarter of what he’s doing,” Driedger said. “When I watch Bob, I see his work ethic off the ice and his determination toward every day’s practice, so I’ve noticed that and taken some of that, and put it into my routine.”
Bobrovsky, likewise, can gain from Driedger’s presence and he said he was excited watching the goalie come out of nowhere to become a major contributor.
“I’m happy for Driedgs. I think he did play great and he stepped up in the right situation, and helped the team,” Bobrovsky said. “From my personal view, I’m working hard before, I work hard right now and I will work hard. I’m happy that we’re in the playoffs, but still I think I can give this team more. No one by himself can win any game or any series, so it’s the group effort and we have to pull the rope in the same direction.”
Bobrovsky, however, provides a different sort of ceiling for the Panthers in the postseason, when goaltending becomes paramount in determining who can go on a run.
Last year, when Bobrovsky was with the Columbus Blue Jackets, was the perfect example. The Blue Jackets were the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and massive underdogs to the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning. In four games, Columbus dispatched of the Lightning as Bobrovsky allowed just eight goals and stopped 109 shots. In the next round, he helped the Blue Jackets jump out to a 2-1 series lead on the Boston Bruins before Columbus eventually fell in six. The Bruins went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Panthers hope this Bobrovsky shows up, but Driedger gives them a good backup plan.
“Bob makes some saves that you can’t wrap your head around a lot,” defenseman Josh Brown said. “He’s proven that he can take on the best teams in the league and succeed, so, yeah, definitely having Bob back there behind us gives us a little more confidence to play the way we want to play.”
