SUNRISE, Fla. — Florida Panthers’ goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is strengthening his argument for a potential third Vezina Trophy as he ascends the ranks of the NHL’s legendary netminders.
Bobrovsky accomplished another impressive feat Thursday night, shutting down Columbus with 16 saves to secure his second shutout in the last four games, marking it as his fourth of the season. This triumph marks his 423rd career win, tying him with Tony Esposito for 10th place on the NHL’s all-time wins list. Notably, Bobrovsky reached this milestone in just 742 games, which is 144 games fewer than the 886 played by Esposito.
“It feels like every game brings a new milestone for Bobby,” expressed Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. “We’re incredibly proud of him.”
With this foundation, Bobrovsky is placed on the cusp of surpassing Esposito, and thereafter, he will close in on other greats such as Jacques Plante (437), Terry Sawchuk (445), Curtis Joseph (454), Henrik Lundqvist (459), Ed Belfour (484), Roberto Luongo (489), Patrick Roy (551), Marc-Andre Fleury (573), and the record-holder Martin Brodeur, who secured 691 wins over 1,266 games.
Over his last three matches, Bobrovsky has earned three victories, clinched two shutouts, and conceded just a single goal. Having finished third in Vezina voting the previous season, he played a pivotal role in driving the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup victory. His recent form boasts a record of 9-2-0 with an impressive .942 save percentage over the past 11 games.
The Columbus Blue Jackets made attempts to challenge Bobrovsky, seeking to disrupt his composure with their presence in front of him.
“We didn’t create enough chaos in front of him to make his night tougher,” Columbus center Boone Jenner remarked.
