BREAKING: NHL Makes Historic Announcement Following Panthers-Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers faced off in a crucial matchup on Thursday with major implications for the Atlantic Division standings and both teams’ playoff positioning. The star of the night was Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who made NHL history by earning his 424th career victory in Florida’s 3-2 win over Toronto. With this milestone, Bobrovsky moved into sole possession of 10th place on the league’s all-time wins list, surpassing Hall of Famer Tony Esposito. He stopped 23 of 25 shots, helping the Panthers secure their 41st win of the season and extend their division lead over Toronto to four points.
“At 3-1, he’s not going to like the 3-2 goal,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said postgame. “Then you’re thinking you’re going to have a hard time beating him now because now he’s angry in the net. He just totally fits our team. He’s so calm in that net.”
Bobrovsky is now 13 wins away from tying Jacques Plante for ninth place on the all-time list. Earlier in the season, he became the fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 400 career wins, achieving the feat in just 707 games—20 fewer than the previous record-holder, Henrik Lundqvist. The 36-year-old netminder has secured victories with three teams throughout his career: 42 with the Philadelphia Flyers, 213 with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and 169 with the Panthers, who signed him as a free agent in 2019. Bobrovsky remains under contract for one more season with a $10 million cap hit, the highest among active goaltenders.
With his 424th win, Sergei Bobrovsky has moved into the top 10! 😼
Congrats, Bob! pic.twitter.com/GuWHpvp1BM
— NHL (@NHL) March 14, 2025
Florida’s victory was key to their playoff push, with Sam Bennett scoring twice on the power play and Niko Mikkola adding another goal. Max Domi found the net for Toronto in the third period to bring the game within reach, but Bobrovsky stood strong to seal the win. The Panthers (41-22-3) now hold a four-point advantage over the Maple Leafs (39-23-3) in the Atlantic Division standings.