Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky always tries to ‘stay in the moment.’ It’s why he thrives
Watch Sergei Bobrovsky on the biggest stages, in the biggest moments, and bask in it.
There’s no flinch, no worry.
“Tons of patience,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “Can learn a thing or two from him.”
Bobrovsky, a veteran of 15 NHL seasons including the past six with the Florida Panthers, understands the task at hand. He utters it nearly every time he speaks after a game — win or lose, excellent performance or one to forget. His priority is on one moment, one shot, one sequence at a time. Whatever is happening directly in front of him has to have his unwavering focus. Nothing that happened before or could happen later matters. None of that has an impact on what’s going on right now in the immediate.
That concentration, that attention to detail, is what has made Bobrovsky what fans see on the ice — a surefire Hall of Famer, a two-time Vezina Trophy award winner, top-10 in the NHL in wins, a Stanley Cup champion.
All of that stems from his steadfast dedication to his process.
And sometimes, that can get lost in the mix.
“You can totally take him for granted,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, “which is what happens to all elite goaltenders.”
It wasn’t taken for granted on Sunday, when Bobrovsky posted a 23-save shutout — his second shutout of this Stanley Cup playoffs — to get the Panthers back level with the Toronto Maple Leafs in their best-of-7 second-round series at two games apiece, with Game 5 set for Wednesday at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m., ESPN).
And it hasn’t been taken for granted by any of his teammates, past or present, who have watched him round back into his elite form over the past three years after a sluggish start to his Panthers tenure to be an anchor for all of Florida’s deep playoff runs.
“He’s so solid back there, and we trust him,” defenseman Gustav Forsling said. “It gives everyone a little calm.”
Added forward Carter Verhaeghe: “I’ve seen it time and time again. He’s such a leader back there. He keeps us so composed, such a great goalie. I wouldn’t want to play in front of any other goalie. Such a good guy, too. Yeah, I love Bobby.”
And “Bobby” loves the big moment, even if you can’t tell directly from his stoic persona.
Then again, Bobrovsky treats every moment like the big moment. It’s the only way he can operate. Every move is calculated, designed, prepared to get him in the best position possible to excel.
“It all works together,” Bobrovsky said. “You can’t separate it. You can try to break it down by pieces, but in a game, I try to stay in the moment, and that moment dictates what’s next. You try to take the best out of it.”
And if things don’t work out on a given night, there’s no panic from those around him. They know it’s not for a lack of effort.
Take the start of the Maple Leafs series as a prime example. Bobrovsky allowed 13 goals on 81 shots for a paltry .840 save percentage through the first three games against Toronto.
The Panthers never hesitated in thinking that Bobrovsky would turn it around. They’ve seen him do it before.
After all, Bobrovsky played to a .911 save percentage over the past two postseasons, both of which ended with the Panthers making it to the Stanley Cup Final. He had three shutouts in that span and gave up two goals or fewer in 25 of 42 starts in that span.
“If he has a game that you don’t think is Sergei Bobrovsky-like, I spend no time wondering if the next one’s going to be like that,” Maurice said. “He’s his own little leadership committee back there. He just goes in and gives us so many consistent looks. I don’t spend any time thinking about goaltending. Thank God. I’ll just screw it up.”
Those who do know and think about goaltending who have been around Bobrovsky marvel at what he does.
Spencer Knight, who served as Bobrovsky’s backup for most of the season prior to being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in March for defenseman Seth Jones, gained a better understanding and appreciation for how Bobrovsky operates in a day-to-day fashion by being around him this season.
“Everyone knows Bob for his really good routine,” Knight said in February. “But the thing is, Bob also is a guy that knows when to take the foot off the gas. He knows when to say, ‘Hey, all right, I came to the rink. I’m actually gonna leave the rink a little earlier today’ because he knows he doesn’t need to prove to anyone that he needs to be the hardest worker. ... That’s what I took is that I have to learn when to take the foot off the gas. And that’s really you have to be able to determine that for yourself, not anyone else.”
Bobrovsky has seemingly mastered that balance. He knows when he needs to push hard at practice. He knows when he needs days to just get a mental reset.
That includes when he’s away from the game, too. Bobrovsky knows to leave anything related to hockey on the ice. He’s a husband and a father of two daughters. Family time is the focus at home.
“When I’m at home with two kids, I can’t think about goaltending,” Bobrovsky said. “They need my attention. And then you’re completely trying to focus on that moment with them and enjoy that time with them.”
It all has Bobrovsky in the right state of mind as he and Panthers continue on this latest playoff run.
“I don’t feel like I’m working,” Bobrovsky said. “I’m just doing the things that I’m supposed to do.”
This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 3:33 PM.
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