The Florida Panthers are continuing their 2024-25 season as the defending Stanley Cup champions battling for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Currently, they are tied for first in the division with the Toronto Maple Leafs with a record of 21-11-2 with 44 points. The Leafs own the tie-breaker as they’ve played one less game.
While they’re in a good spot standings-wise, the goaltending duo of Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight has looked rough over the last week. It was a big part of why Florida was winning high-scoring games or getting blown out a couple of weeks ago. As a result, the team is tied for the 10th-worst in the league in goals allowed per game with 3.12. The team needs to fix this before it becomes an even bigger problem.
“Dad Bob” Has Not Been Himself
Sergei Bobrovsky just recently came back after having his second child. Congratulations to him and his family on that endeavor! Unfortunately, before he took his paternal leave, he took a bit of a dip in his play on the ice.
Over the course of his last 11 games, he’s averaged a .901 save percentage (SV%) along with giving up on average 2.37 goals per game. Granted, he did earn a shutout against the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 16. But still, his total stats on the season are a rough .896 SV% and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.79. Additionally, he has the 19th-most expected goals against in the league with 57.63 and is tied for the ninth-most goals against with 64. If he can return to his playoff form, Florida can fully return to their dominant ways.
Knight Hasn’t Been the Knight Florida Needs
Spencer Knight is finally playing again after taking last season off due to his struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). But he hasn’t had a great season himself. Over his last three starts, he’s let in 13 goals and averaged a .810 SV%. This puts him at a GAA of 2.85 and an abysmal SV% of .890 through 12 appearances. He does, however, have one shutout that came against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 30.
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Granted, he is still relatively fresh in his NHL career and has time to bounce back. But his poor stats in his first year back are a cause for concern. He needs to show why he was drafted 19th overall again and quickly.
Could We See Chris Driedger?
The former Panther, goaltender Chris Driedger returned this offseason on a one-year deal. He has seven wins through 11 American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Charlotte Checkers. However, he has a 3.17 GAA and a .882 SV%. But that does not mean general manager Bill Zito shouldn’t consider a call-up.
In his first season with Florida, he had a .938 SV% and a 2.05 GAA. In his second, he had a .927 SV% with a GAA of 2.07. A return to form could be a welcome one if needed.
What’s the Next Step for the Goaltending Department?
There is still time to right the ship. Bobrovsky is already looking to do that with only allowing one goal on Friday night against the St. Louis Blues.
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Regardless, it needs to be figured out soon. The first half of the season is over in a couple of months and playoff positioning could be difficult to secure once the second half begins without good goaltending.
