It looks like the Columbus Blue Jackets didn’t have much of a shot at signing Sergei Bobrovsky heading into free agency.
It didn’t take long for the two-time Vezina winner to sign a seven-year, $70 million contract with the Florida Panthers, making him the second highest paid goaltender in the NHL. Columbus attempted to hold onto Bobrovsky but it turns out that all along, BoBo felt he needed a change of scenery.
But… there was more.
In a conversation with Tuboltseva, Bobrovsky cited his tensions with the team following their 2018 playoff loss to the Washington Capitals, his January suspension, and conflicts within the team.
When it came down to it, he wasn’t “comfortable”.
Bobrovsky’s suspension resulted from failing to meet culture “expectations and values.” With the Russian out of town, The Jackets will now turn to Joonas Korpisalo between the pipes. It doesn’t help that the team also lost Artemi Panarin AND Matt Duchene in free agency…
It looks like Bobrovsky doesn’t have too many regrets about his decision…
(H/T Igor Eronko)
