Bobrovsky to Back Up Tarasov as Panthers Protect Pending UFAs Ahead of Deadline
bobrovsky will not start for the Florida Panthers on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team announced as it moves into the NHL Trade Deadline on March 6 (ET). He will be the backup to Daniil Tarasov while forward A. J. Greer is scratched as the club looks to protect pending unrestricted free agents who are generating trade interest. The move comes as Florida — two-time defending champions hampered by injuries and goaltending struggles — prepares for a deadline in which it is expected to be a seller.
Bobrovsky to Back Up Tarasov
Coach Paul Maurice listed bobrovsky as the non-starter with Daniil Tarasov taking the start for Thursday’s game. The Panthers are holding bobrovsky out of the start but are not removing him from the lineup; he will serve as Tarasov’s backup. The scratch of A. J. Greer and the backup assignment for bobrovsky are explicit steps to ensure both players are healthy and available in the event the club completes a trade before the March 6 (ET) deadline.
bobrovsky is in the final year of his seven-year contract carrying a $10 million cap hit and has been a pivotal part of the Panthers’ recent postseason success. This season he has a 22-19-1 record, an. 873 save percentage, three shutouts and a -11. 95 5v5 goals saved above expected mark in 43 games — a statistical slump that places him among the lower-performing goaltenders in that metric. The team faces a choice between keeping bobrovsky and trying to re-sign a proven postseason performer or moving him while his market is diminished.
Greer, who is also in the final season of his deal, has a career-best 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 61 games and carries an $850, 000 cap hit. Florida’s standing in the East has slipped: the club sits near the bottom of the conference, trailing the last playoff spot by multiple points and having played an extra game, a stretch that has pushed the Panthers toward seller mode.
Immediate reactions from front offices and players
Stan Bowman, General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers, said he “imagines the Oilers are done” but left open the possibility of further moves as teams shuffle before the deadline. NHL insider Kevin Weekes said the Oilers have been in contact with bobrovsky’s camp, a contact that has prompted discussion given Edmonton’s goaltending concerns.
Insider Elliotte Friedman called it “hard to imagine” bobrovsky leaving South Florida, underscoring the difficulty any deal would face. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, “The burden hasn’t gotten heavier, ” while Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk acknowledged the tough climb the team faces this season. Leafs coach Craig Berube warned that “the deadline’s around the corner here and there’s a lot of talk and noise, but you’ve got to block it out. ” Panthers forward Tomas Nosek urged teammates not to “look at the math” as the club navigates the stretch run.
What’s next and the trade calculus
With the Trade Deadline set for March 6 (ET), the Panthers are expected to listen to offers on pending UFAs. Any move involving bobrovsky would likely require Florida to retain salary, and interested clubs will have to address cap implications if they pursue him. The Oilers have been linked in discussion, but any trade would face roster and financial hurdles; no deal has been completed.
Over the coming days the Panthers will balance short-term lineup decisions — like sitting Greer and listing bobrovsky as the backup — with broader decisions about selling assets. As teams finalize plans before March 6 (ET), bobrovsky’s availability and status will remain a central storyline around Florida’s deadline strategy and any suitors weighing a significant addition.
