Berube's Bobrovsky Advice
Former Maple Leafs Coach Craig Berube Urges Team to Sign Sergei Bobrovsky, Citing "Win-Now" Mode
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Seven weeks after being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, former head coach Craig Berube says the team should "definitely" try to sign goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Berube made the comments on TSN's *OverDrive* on June 30, 2026 — just one day before NHL free agency opens. National Post reported he called Bobrovsky "a gamer and a worker" who can carry a team to a championship.
Bobrovsky, 37, is an unrestricted free agent after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025. He is reportedly seeking a deal worth around $42 million, according to Sportsnet. Toronto enters the offseason as one of the NHL's most desperate teams for goaltending help.
Toronto's Goaltending Crisis Made 2025–26 a Disaster
The Leafs finished 2025–26 ranked 31st in the NHL in goals allowed, giving up 3.60 goals per game, according to Hockey Reference. Starting goalie Anthony Stolarz posted a .893 save percentage and a 3.28 goals-against average while battling groin injuries all season. Those numbers were his worst in four years.
The team fired GM Brad Treliving on March 30, 2026, and then fired Berube on May 13 after a 32-36-14 record. The Leafs finished last in the Atlantic Division. New GM John Chayka then traded goalie Joseph Woll to Philadelphia on June 16 for Samuel Ersson and Emil Andrae, leaving the team even thinner in net, per NHL.com.
Berube Says Bobrovsky Is the Only Answer for a Win-Now Team
Berube argued on *OverDrive* that the Leafs are still in "win-now mode" and need a proven winner behind Auston Matthews and William Nylander. He said Bobrovsky is the only free agent capable of carrying a team. He also suggested that young goalie prospect Dennis Hildeby, 24, could be traded to make room for a veteran signing, per TSN.
Berube showed no bitterness over his firing. He said he still cares about the team's success. His comments carry weight given he coached the Leafs to a 84-62-18 record and a first-round playoff win over Ottawa in 2025 before being let go the following spring, according to The Hockey News.
Bobrovsky's Price Tag Raises Serious Red Flags
Signing Bobrovsky would not be cheap or simple. He reportedly wants a deal worth around $42 million total, which could mean $6 million or more per year. That would eat up nearly 10% of the projected $104 million salary cap for 2026–27, per TSN. Analyst Elliotte Friedman warned that the age and cost make it a "high-risk" move, per Heavy Sports.
Bobrovsky's previous deal with Florida was worth $70 million over seven years. He is 37 years old. A long-term deal at that price for a goaltender his age is something most NHL teams would avoid. The Leafs, however, are under pressure to win now with their core players aging.
Florida's Pivot to Markstrom Could Push Bobrovsky to Toronto
Bobrovsky's return to Florida looks unlikely. The Panthers recently acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom, signaling they are moving on. Florida GM Bill Zito said "no doors are closed," but analysts see his departure from the team as a near certainty, according to Heavy Sports. That could leave Toronto as his top destination when free agency opens July 1.
David Pagnotta of *Leafs Morning Take* reported that Toronto has "serious interest" in Bobrovsky, per blogTO. New Leafs coach Jim Hiller, hired June 17, has said he wants to "celebrate offense again." But without a reliable goalie, his open system could repeat the same defensive collapse that cost the Leafs the 2025–26 season — and cost Berube his job.
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