The Florida Panthers have spent this offseason reshaping their forward group in a big way. Brady Tkachuk joined his brother Matthew in Florida after a blockbuster trade last Sunday, making their attack one of the most dangerous in the league. But the goaltending picture remains unsettled, and that’s where things get complicated. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes the Panthers may have interest in acquiring Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs to address a problem that quietly loomed over the franchise all season.
Why are the Florida Panthers interested in Samuel Ersson?
Sergei Bobrovsky turned in the worst statistical season of his career in 2025-26, and at 37, the math on a long-term commitment starts getting uncomfortable. Reports indicate Bobrovsky wants a six or seven-year deal worth around $42 million, and Florida appears reluctant to go there. Friedman put it plainly: “I’ve heard it’s unlikely that Bobrovsky’s going to be back. I think that you should never guarantee anything this offseason, the way it’s been going, but I think it’s unlikely that he’s going to be back, so I wonder what they’re going to do in goal.“He then floated Ersson as a name to watch: “Maybe they have some interest in Ersson, who Toronto just acquired, and I’m not sure they’re going to keep him. But that’s the one thing I look at on their team and say, ‘How is that going to settle? What are they going to do in net?'”The Panthers currently have both Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov as unrestricted free agents, leaving them with no goalie under contract heading into next season. GM Bill Zito holds over $15 million in cap space, though a significant chunk of that will need to go towards roster building elsewhere.
Is Samuel Ersson a realistic option for Florida?
Toronto acquired Ersson from the Philadelphia Flyers last week, along with defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick, sending goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit the other way. The Maple Leafs have Anthony Stolarz and Dennis Hildeby already set for their crease, making Ersson expendable. As a restricted free agent this summer, he could be moved again quickly.Ersson went 14-11-5 with an .870 save percentage this past season playing behind Dan Vladar — numbers that don’t inspire much confidence on the surface. He lost the starting job in Philadelphia after two seasons as the main man and was subsequently traded. Still, he’s 26, and a change of scenery has revived plenty of careers in net before.For Florida, the appeal is straightforward. Their forward group is elite. Their defense is solid. What they need is a cost-effective solution in goal that doesn’t eat cap space they need elsewhere. Ersson, coming off a down year, would arrive at a fraction of what Bobrovsky would command. The Panthers can afford to bet on upside in net because the rest of the roster covers for mistakes.Whether that bet pays off is another question entirely.
