Panthers Goalie sergei Bobrovsky โคCelebrates Wins with Teammate Wine Raffles
SUNRISE, โFL – Florida panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky โhas cultivatedโ a unique โฃpostgame โคtradition: a raffle awarding a โbottle of wine to a teammate following each of โhis victories. Teh practice, aโข gesture ofโ appreciation โfor theโฃ team’s collective effort, โhas become a popular ritual within theโ Panthers’ locker roomโ as the team enjoys sustained success.
bobrovsky, a 16-year NHL veteran, beganโฃ his career with the Philadelphia Flyers before a trade sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he earned two Vezinaโ Trophies as the league’s top goaltender.He joined the Panthers in โ2019, โขsigning a seven-year, โข$70 million contract. While his initial seasons in Florida brought mixed โคresults – โincluding just one shutout in โhis โขfirst twoโ years and aโข career-worst 3.23 โgoals-against average in his debut campaign – Bobrovsky found hisโฃ stride in the 2022-23 playoffs.
Initially not the Game 1 starter โฃagainst the Boston Bruins, Bobrovsky took over for Alex Lyon during the โฃseries, ultimately leading the Panthers to an upset โฃvictory and a surprising runโค to the Stanley Cup Final, โwhere they โlost to the Vegasโข Golden Knights in five games.
“We have a great group of guys,” โBobrovsky โขsaid. “We’ve gotโ great, solid management, โขgreat โcoaches, great staff. It’s exciting to be part of this team. โI appreciate this prospect to be the goalie for this organization, and I’m blessed.”
Bobrovsky’s recent performance โhasโ been particularly strong, recording five shutouts in โคhis past six playoff series. His generosity and humility haveโ resonated โwith โteammates.
“He’s been unbelievable, โคand we don’t have our successโข without him,” said โPanthersโ forward Carter Verhaeghe, a past raffle winner. “he’s suchโ a good guy.If you’re lucky to talk to him, he’s a really, really fun guy to be around.”
Forward Jonah Gadjovich added,”He loves to give back. he’s a very generous guy,and I thinkโ he just hasโข some fun with it,too.”
Some players, like defenseman Gustav Schmidt, who has won โthe raffle twice, have enjoyed โคthier winnings, but are preserving at โฃleast one bottle. “I’ll neverโ drink it,” Schmidt said.
The tradition excludesโฃ the coaching staff, a decision understood by Head Coachโข Paul Maurice. “The players do ‘all the โhard things,’ such as blocking shots and defending to help preserve Bobrovsky’s shutout bids,” Maurice explained. “It’s a smart thing to do. And it’s a kindโ thingโ to do.” He jokingly added, โ”(He) could expand โit every once in a while. I’m just saying.”
