Hockey players dream of winning the Stanley Cup their entire lives. Few are fortunate enough to win it, and even fewer win it twice. But after capturing the Cup for the second-straight year, Florida Panthers star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky directed the credit upward.
“I want to thank God for everything that I have — and everything that I don’t have," he said in an on-ice interview with Sportsnet’s Gene Principe after the game.
He went on to describe the ups and downs of his 15-year NHL career, specifically his first few years in Florida, when most fans saw his $70 million contract as wasted money.
“That’s why I thank God for this experience,” he said. “I couldn’t even dream about (it), but now I’m here, winning it twice. Again, I couldn’t be more humble and appreciative. And, again, I am nothing. It’s all God.”
In a previous on-ice interview, this time with TNT’s Jackie Redmond, he reiterated the same thoughts.
“I want to say glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. I want to give that victory to God. I want to thank him for everything I have — for my parents, for my family, my wife, Olga, my two daughters, for this family," he said, motioning to his teammates behind him.
As he mentioned, things weren’t always smooth sailing for the two-time Vezina Trophy winner.
After going undrafted in the NHL draft, he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, who traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets after two seasons. Things really took off in Columbus, and when he reached UFA eligibility, the Panthers signed him to what was, at the time, the second-biggest contract ever given to a goalie.
Things started rough for him in Florida, to the point where he was widely considered a buyout candidate. But along the way, something switched. He has now backstopped his team to three-straight Stanley Cup Finals and has won the Cup the last two seasons.
Bobrovsky, 36, is of the Russian Orthodox faith, according to NHL.com.