The Maple Leafs made one of the biggest goalie plays of the summer, and the reason came down to more than money.
Sergei Bobrovsky, the headline name in the market and a back-to-back Cup winner in Florida, chose Toronto over staying with the Panthers because of contract details that gave him the protection he wanted. According to reporter Daria Tuboltseva, Florida’s offers changed along the way, including a two-year deal, but the Panthers only put partial trade protection on the table.
Bobrovsky wanted a full no-trade clause. Toronto gave him that, along with a three-year contract worth $7 million AAV.
The Leafs simply won the bidding war on both term and security, and now they’re counting on him to work as the real No. 1 starter alongside Anthony Stolarz.
Bobrovsky’s decision capped a summer that also sent Jack Roslovic from Edmonton to Toronto in a hurry. Roslovic didn’t linger on the market for long after his last Oilers contract was signed on October 8th, 2025, during Edmonton’s home opener against Calgary.
The announcement came in the second intermission, just before the Oilers dropped a 4-3 shootout decision. His regular season in Edmonton was productive enough - 69 games, 21 goals, 15 assists, 36 points - but the playoffs told a different story, with only one assist in six games.
By July 1st, he had already landed in Toronto on a two-year deal worth $4 million AAV.
That move makes sense on a personal level. Roslovic knows Auston Matthews from their U.S.
U-18 days, and he’s joining a Leafs group he sees as “young, vibrant, and ready to win.” The hockey question is a little tougher.
Roslovic can help on offense, but Toronto’s system will ask something different of him, especially if he ends up on the top line.
Jeff Skinner’s path looks the most final of the three. His time with Edmonton never really settled into a clean fit, and by 2024-25 it was clear his NHL run was getting close to the finish line.
His role and ice time bounced around, and even when he scored, he often found himself back on the bench soon after, with the message essentially being “play better hockey.” Now that chapter appears closed.
EHC Biel announced he signed a one-year deal through April 2027 after he terminated his Sharks contract in February and was unable to find another NHL job.
Skinner leaves with 379 goals and 712 points in 1,110 games. His playoff history is far thinner: he appeared in the postseason only once, with Edmonton, where he played five games and finished with two points.
In Other News...
Brad Marchand Puts Panthers Opening Plans In Serious Doubt
Brad Marchands first months in Florida have already taken a detour. The Panthers forward said in an Instagram video that he will miss former teammate Zdeno Charas charity game because he recently underwent surgery for lingering lower-body issues, a setback that comes after he had tried to get by without the procedure. Its the kind of update that immediately changes the conversation around a player expected to be part of the mix when camp opens in about a month.
For Florida, the timing is the part that stings most. The Panthers are preparing to start training camp soon, but Marchands recovery puts his early-season availability in serious doubt and leaves open the possibility that his return comes much later. Even with the team still holding out hope for a later-season comeback, this is now less about fitting him into opening-night plans and more about waiting to see how long the recovery takes. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Linked To Another Winger Ottawa May Not Want To Lose
With the offseason still sorting out the ripple effects of a few major decisions around the league, Floridas own goaltending picture offered one of the more interesting what-ifs. Sergei Bobrovsky was close to re-signing with the Panthers on a discounted arrangement, a development that would have kept the veteran in South Florida and given the front office another layer of stability in net as it mapped out the rest of the roster.
Instead, Bobrovsky wound up with Toronto on a three-year contract that comes with a full no-trade clause, closing the door on a potential return for Florida. For Panthers fans, it is another reminder that the margins in free agency can be razor-thin, especially when one agreement falls apart and another team is ready to jump in. [Read more 🡒]