Flyers Sign Russian Goaltender Bobrovsky

NHLHS writer David Strehle take a closer look at the latest netminder being brought in from the KHL to man the Flyers’ crease, and the Flyer’s growing pipeline for goaltending help.

After weeks of leaked rumors that a deal was already in place, the Philadelphia Flyers announced Thursday that they have signed 21-year-old Russian netminder Sergei Bobrovsky to a two-way, three-year contract that will pay him $1.75 million annually.

There was much NHL interest in Bobrovsky, who was also reportedly being pursued by the Detroit Red Wings.

Bobrovsky compiled a 16-42-5 record over the course of two seasons with Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, which was the worst team in the league.  Bobrovsky faced a high number of quality shots every night, but had a decent goals-against-average of 2.63, and an excellent .923 save percentage for the combined two seasons.

Checking Bobrovsky’s scouting report on Hockey Futures (which was last updated as of June 14, 2008), it reads:

Bobrovsky is a hybrid goalie who prefers more of a butterfly down lower style than stand-up.  The young netminder has above average reaction time and a slightly above average glove side.  He has good lateral quickness in the crease, Bobrovsky has impressive quickness and he needs it since he does not take up as much of a net as even his U20 Team Russia teammate Gaiduchenko.  The young goalie also tends to skate out far to challenge opponents, though he didn’t do this as much outside of Russian hockey when competing internationally.  An average puck handler, Bobrovsky rarely plays the puck outside the crease and tends to make safer and more conservative decisions with it.  Another area that the young netminder does need to work on is his rebounding, as he tends to give up a lot of them and some dangerously close in front of him.  It is impressive that he is capable of blocking some very difficult first shots, but he does himself and his team a disservice by leaving the rebound and allowing the opposing team second and third chances at the puck.  Still, his competitiveness and ability to stop the first shot have been key to his success thus far in his career and he can learn proper rebound control if given more coaching opportunities.  Maturity wise, the young 88 born netminder is probably one of the most mature young netminders currently playing in Russia.  He took on a lot of responsibility last year and even though handled it very well, especially when backstopping Russia to the bronze medal at the U20 World Junior Championships.  His ability to remain composed in difficult situations and remain competitive has been key to his success.

Also of note in the Hockey Futures page was this blurb:

During the 2007-08 season the young prospect was invited to join Russia’s U20 team that competed in the Super Series against the Canadian teams.  There, Bobrovsky was clearly Russia’s best goalie, performing better than Semen Varlamov or Sergei Gaiduchenko.

With 20-year-old Swedish prospect Joacim Eriksson high on the Flyers’ futures list,  and 21-year-old Nic Riopel already playing with the Adirondack Phantoms, it’s an interesting situation with Bobrovsky added into the mix.

The Flyers Sudden ”KHL Konnection”

General Manager Paul Holmgren has made a habit recently of scoping the KHL for help in the nets when available money is running low within the NHL salary cap limits.

Last July, he signed troubled goaltender Ray Emery to a one-year, $1.5 million free agent deal.  The now 27-year-old Emery had played one season for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the KHL, just one year separated from a nightmare season for the Ottawa Senators.

That experiment went wildly wrong, as Emery battled two major injuries / surgeries, and his play was highly inconsistent when healthy.

Then came Holmgren’s strange move of signing former NHLer John Grahame to a professional tryout contract in mid-December, 2009 during Emery’s first surgery.

Grahame, a year removed from being kicked off of his KHL club for reportedly being publicly intoxicated and hauled off to a detox center by police, played in a total of 12 games in Adirondack, registering a horrible 2-10 record.

Moving into 2010-11

But the signing of Bobrovsky was Homer’s first inking of a native-Russian goalkeeper.

And it looks like this one could be the best of the three.

Bobrovsky should open next season as the Adirondack Phantoms’ starting goaltender.  But the Flyers’ net situation is so up in the air heading into next season that anything is a possibility.

Emery probably will not be re-signed and his career may be in jeopardy with the surgery for the hip injury from which he is attempting to recover.  Current starter Brian Boucher is signed through next year, so he is the probable backup for whomever Holmgren gets to be the starter.

Michael Leighton could be the wild card here.  His two-year, $1.2 million deal expires at the end of the season, but he had the most success of any Philadelphia netminder this year.  Leighton complied a 16-5-2 mark with a 2.48 goals against average and .918 save percentage for the Orange-and-Black after being picked up off of the waiver wire back in early December.  Leighton was the goalie that the team played best in front of, and Holmgren could ink the soon-to-be 29-year-old to a new deal this summer.  That would give the team some stability and continuity heading into the 2010-11 season, with Leighton as the starter and Boucher as his backup.

But Holmgren could follow his predecessor Bob Clarke’s actions from the 1986-87 season and go with the young rookie Bobrovsky, as Clarke did with Ron Hextall.  Like they were with Hextall at that time, the team is very high on Bobrovsky.  But the more likely scenario will see the young Russian get some seasoning in Adirondack, allowing some time for him to adjust to the North American style of play and the difference in the smaller ice surface size.

Philadelphia’s playoff run is becoming more interesting by the day but even after that is over, the summer will see many decisions to be made by Holmgren regarding his goaltending situation.  And Bobrovsky could come into play in that thought process.

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia