- Pierre LeBrun reports Carolina called Florida about Sergei Bobrovsky at the deadline
- The Hurricanes balked when the Panthers asked for a first-round pick
- Read below for why Carolina is riding the goalies it already had into the Cup Final
The Carolina Hurricanes wanted help in net before the playoffs. They just wouldn’t pay Florida’s asking price.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that Carolina talked to the Panthers about Sergei Bobrovsky at the 2026 trade deadline. Florida wanted a first-round pick, and the Hurricanes said no.
Bobrovsky was coming off a rough season. He posted an .877 save percentage in 52 games while Florida finished seventh in the Atlantic. The 37-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent this summer.
His résumé was never the issue. Bobrovsky backstopped the Panthers to Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025. A first-round pick for a rental on an expiring deal was.
So Carolina stood pat and leaned on what it had. Frederik Andersen was excellent through the first three rounds and carried the Hurricanes to the Cup Final. Brandon Bussi drew into Game 4 and won his first career playoff start.
LeBrun wrote Tuesday that the Hurricanes are two wins from proving they made the right call. He also pointed out they’re testing the limits of that choice in a Final that sits tied 2-2.
Game 5 is back in Raleigh, and Carolina’s goaltending is the whole story.
