FORT LAUDERDALE \u2014 The biggest pending free agent for the Florida Panthers this summer is goalie Sergei Bobrovsky whose monster seven-year, $70 million contract signed in 2019 is over. <\/p>\n
There were rumors floating around at the NHL Trade Deadline that Bill Zito was trying to move his two-time Stanley Cup champion netminder, and rumors continue to circulate that Bobrovsky and the Panthers are far apart when it comes to a new deal. <\/p>\n
Thursday, Zito said he had a \u201cgreat meeting with Bob yesterday.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
So, perhaps there is a lot more smoke here than fire. <\/p>\n
The Panthers certainly hope so.<\/p>\n
Bobrovsky did not meet the media on Thursday\u2019s closeout day but has said that he loves his teammates, the Panthers, South Florida, everything, really. <\/p>\n
His teammates love him as well. <\/p>\n
\u201dEveryone,\u2019\u2019 captain Sasha Barkov said, \u201cwants him to stay.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
After Bobrovsky made 28 saves in Florida\u2019s 3-1 win at Detroit hours after the trade deadline passed, Matthew Tkachuk came out and said he would do everything in his power<\/a> to help keep Bobrovsky with the Panthers.<\/p>\n FHN: Has Bobrovsky Played His Final Game with the Panthers?<\/a><\/p>\n He said he would \u201cwine-and-dine\u201d Bobrovsky as well as go and talk to general manager Bill Zito about the situation. <\/p>\n Tkachuk said nothing has changed in his mind when asked about Bobrovsky following Wednesday\u2019s win over the Red Wings \u2014 this one won by backup Daniil Tarasov.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only guy I will be recruiting, and I hope I don\u2019t have to recruit him, and that\u2019s Bob,\u201d Tkachuk said. <\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot lose him. He\u2019s our guy. He is going to get us back to where we want to be. [He is] the most important piece of our team, the past couple of years, with what he has done. It\u2019s the character, the work ethic, the drive. He sets the tone on and off the ice. I don\u2019t care what age he is, he is the backbone of this team. If we\u2019re going to get back there, we\u2019re going to need him.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Speaking on Thursday, Barkov said he would love nothing more than to have Bobrovsky back.<\/p>\n After all, Barkov would certainly love to serenade his favorite goalie with his \u2018Bob-Bee\u2019 chant at the next championship rally on Fort Lauderdale Beach. <\/p>\n \u201cThere is not a single person in South Florida who wants him gone from here,\u201d Barkov said. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is a loved teammate, everyone loves him, loves to play in front of him, loves to battle for him, loves seeing him every day at the rink. So, it\u2019s tough to even imagine that there could be a chance we see him go. So, of course, I am in the same boat as Chucky and in the same boat as every single guy in this organization.<\/p>\n \u201dEveryone wants him to stay. He is a big piece of what we have done here on and off the ice. I\u2019m sure everyone is doing everything possible to make him stay.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Zito has known Bobrovsky for a long time, the two working together with the Columbus Blue Jackets.<\/p>\n Bobrovsky left Columbus for the largest contract the Panthers had ever handed out at the time in 2019, with the two reunited a year later when Zito replaced Dale Tallon.<\/p>\n