Panthers' Aleksander Barkov Takes Another Positive Step In Recovery Process
The Florida Panthers were joined by captain Aleksander Barkov today for his first full practice with the team.
Video Transcript
Well, I think if, if, if Bill Zito said that he wants him there, then he's gonna be there.
I think this is probably gonna be a situation that they're gonna get a nice little deal on him.
No state tax down there, plus you got sunshine drawing you, plus you got Cups, plus you know you're gonna be better.
He knows he's gonna be better.
He's still moving incredibly well.
He still looks great in there.
He doesn't look like he's slowing down whatsoever, and it's been a turbulent year for Florida.
And you gotta remind yourself how much hockey they've played.
Y- back-to-back Cups, but Cup final the year before.
That's actually absurd how much hockey these guys have played and for how long.
They're only getting two months off for three years in a row and, and he's been at a high level and, and I think that, you know, really it's gonna be trying to get him to take a little bit of a cut.
because at the end of the day, someone would pay him $10 million.
I can almost guarantee it for, for a year, for two or three years.
But, you know, Florida's saying, "Hey, you know, we already, we already gave you," whatever it was, 84. you got that in the bank.
You got something from before.
Like, no state tax here.
And then try to map something out where maybe he takes, like, seven, and gives them a little bit of room to work knowing that he's comfortable there, he lives there.
Sun, no state, all that stuff.
Plus they, plus knowing that they're most likely gonna be a very good competitor with another chance to win a Stanley Cup there.
If you're Sergei Bobrovsky, where, where would you go?
Like, why on Earth would you leave unless you had this weird dream to play for some other team?
Why on Earth would you ever leave?
So, if they want him there, I got to imagine he's gonna be there.
Yeah, okay, so here's my, here's my contract proposal.
I'm gonna be, I'm gonna pretend to be Bill Zito here.
I'm gonna offer Bobrovsky three years at 8 million per.
I, I feel like that third year is the, is the crucial one because he is, I think, 37 right now.
But if I'm the Florida Panthers, I say, "You know what?
Don't care."
Because he could take us to another Stanley Cup next season, and then, like, three Stanley Cups in four years?
That's incredible.
They've got a younger goalie in Danault-Tarasov, who has upside, who could, you know, work his way into being the starter by the end of that Bobrovsky contract.
but yeah, as you said, Evan, no state tax.
His stuff is al- already there, as Greg Wyshynski likes to say, no use moving.
and he's had an incredible career.
He's had a Hall of Fame career.
Multiple Vezina winner, multiple Stanley Cup winner.
and, you know, just quickly, it's so funny how things change.
When he originally signed that $10 million contract, it was the worst contract in the NHL for several years.
Like, they could not trade it if they wanted to, and then he led them to two Stanley Cups.
So, who knows?
But I think giving him a third year, I would, I would think that would be enough to push away any other potential suitors around the league.
