Toronto Maple Leafs land prized free agent, signing goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to 3-year, $21M deal

Ottawa Senators' Lars Eller (89) tries to get the puck past Florida Panthers' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during second period NHL action in Ottawa onThursday, April 9, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, leaving Florida and filling a long-unaddressed need for Toronto hours into the NHL’s free agent signing period.

Bobrovsky on the verge of turning 38 joins an Auston Matthews-led team seeking to transition on the fly under a new coach and new general manager, and coming off a draft in which it selected Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick. The Leafs bottomed out last year, finishing last in the Atlantic Division following a nine-year playoff run.

Though nearly a decade removed from winning the Vezina Trophy for a second time as the NHL’s top goalie with Columbus in 2017, Bobrovsky is regarded as an upgrade for the Leafs, who gone through a carousel of goalies, including five last season alone. He reunites with Anthony Stolarz, after the tandem helped the Panthers win the Cup in 2024.

“A sincere thank you to Sergei Bobrovsky for all he did for this organization,” said Panthers general manager Bill Zito, who this past week had traded for goalies Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid. “Things happen where decisions get made and people move on. It’s part of our game. We have nothing but appreciation for Sergei.”

Bobrovsky was regarded as one of the top players available in a thin pool of free agents, and wasn’t the only goalie on the move. To make room for him, the Leafs traded Dennis Hildeby and draft picks to Tampa Bay for forward Nick Paul.

Goalie Stuart Skinner is heading to Winnipeg on a two-year contract worth $7.5 million with the Jets, who have been listening to trade offers for three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck. Skinner helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and ’25 before losing to Florida each time, and spent the end of last season in Pittsburgh.

Panthers, Sharks among the busiest teams

Florida signed rugged defenseman Radko Gudas, who just turned 36, to a six-year deal worth $1.5 million annually for a total of $9 million. The 36-year-old Gudas played in Florida for three seasons from 2020-23 and spent last season with Anaheim. The former team captain joins another former team captain, Brady Tkachuk, as a new arrival in South Florida.

The fast-improving Sharks are suddenly a destination, with San Jose acquiring Darnell Nurse in a trade with Edmonton, signing fellow defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year, $33 million deal and adding forward Mason Marchment on a five-year, $33.75 million contract. They sent defensive prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp to the Oilers for Nurse.

After the Sharks enjoyed a 19-win jump in the standings and barely missing the playoffs, Trouba called being part of a team on the rise behind Macklin Celebrini one of the biggest reasons he signed in the Bay Area.

“You want a team that you feel like you can grow with and make an impact and help these young guys,” Trouba said on a video call with reporters. “It’s important to get into where everybody wants to be is on a contending team, and I think we have a good opportunity in San Jose to do that.”

The Los Angeles Kings landed forwards Erik Haula (from Nashville) and Mats Zuccarello (Minnesota). Haula agreed to a two-year, $7.2 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Zuccarello’s contract is worth $1 million in base salary plus bonuses, according to another person with knowledge of that agreement.

Chicago got veteran defenseman Ian Cole (Utah) for next season at $4.75 million, according to a third person, also with knowledge of the deal. Division rival Colorado is bringing in winger Jaden Schwartz (Seattle) on a three-year, $9.75 million deal, according to a fourth person familiar with the contract. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contracts had not been announced.

Washington, which is still waiting on winger Alex Ovechkin’s decision about whether to return for a 22nd NHL season, signed Columbus winger Boone Jenner ($23 million) and San Jose defenseman Vincent Desharnais ($16.8 million) to four-year contracts.

Detroit signed Swedish winger Viktor Arvidsson (Boston) to a two-year contract worth $10 million. The New York Rangers added Oliver Bjorkstrand (Tampa Bay) for $4.5 million next season.

Trades

Many teams are going the trade route to try to improve this summer. The Rangers got their backup goalie that way, sending minor leaguer Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round pick to Boston for Joonas Korpisalo.

Nashville acquired pending restricted free agent forward Mavrik Bourque from Dallas. The Predators sent a 2027 second- and a 2028 third-round pick to the Stars for Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.

Dallas clearing salary cap space could allow the team to sign Jason Robertson, another restricted free agent who is ticketed for a long-term, lucrative contract.

His younger brother, Nick, is going to Pittsburgh after the Penguins got him from Toronto for a fourth-rounder in ’28.

The Blackhawks signed Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million contract extension, making him the NHL’s top-paid defenseman in average annual salary. The signing comes a week after Chicago acquired the sixth-year player by trading the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft to the Buffalo Sabres. Byram had one year remaining on his current contract, and his $12.5 million average salary surpasses Penguins blue liner Erik Karlsson ($11.5 million).

Staying put

— New Jersey locked up captain Nico Hischier for the long term, signing the Swiss center to a five-year extension worth $58.5 million with an annual cap hit of $11.7 million from 2027 through 2032.

— Montreal agreed to re-sign Ivan Demidov to an eight-year, $73 million contract after the 20-year-old Russian forward led all NHL rookies with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) last season.

— Philadelphia got two extensions done, signing young forward Tyson Foerster to an eight-year, $56.8 million contract (2027-28 through 2035). The Flyers extended goalie Dan Vladar for five years at $27.5 million.

— The Sabres signed newly acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9.3 million contract. Zellweger was a pending restricted free agent and acquired in a trade with Anaheim.

___

AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/nhl

John Wawrow And Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press