The Columbus Blue Jackets goalie’s deal expires at the end of the year.
With no deal in place past the 2018-2019 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have to be thinking about the future of Sergei Bobrovsky. Negotiations are nowhere close and the team has a healthy stable of goalies in the system starting with Joonas Korpisalo who is 2-0-0 in his only starts so far this year.
The front office has to be considering a trade as one of their options moving forward. The expiring contract and playoff disappointment are going to hurt Bob’s value but he still is the only active goalie with two Vezina Trophies to his name.
It’s rare that an elite level goalie is on the market though and there are quite a few teams looking to make the playoffs or do some damage in the postseason that don’t have a reliable goalie.
Bob asking for “Carey Price” money is just crazy. Any team willing to pay a goalie double digit salary when he is 37 or 38 is just wrong. Goalies deteriorate so quickly that if you even get above average play from a net minder past his 36th birthday, you’re beating the odds.
If Bob wanted a four year deal, I’d say sign it today. But he is looking for eight years at a crazy number so the team needs to look at other options.
While most teams that have playoff dreams have a their goalie situation figured out, there are a few that will be looking for help between the pipes. Let’s take a look at four teams that could be trade destinations for Sergei Bobrovsky.