Bobrovsky goes from foe to friend with Raddysh, Paul in Toronto

MILTON, Ont. -- Sergei Bobrovsky admits bitter foes have become good friends now that they’re teammates with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But that hasn’t stopped the reminiscing between Bobrovsky, the ex-Florida Panther, and the duo of Darren Raddysh and Nick Paul, former members of the Tampa Bay Lightning, about their always-heated clashes in what’s become the boiling rivalry known as the Battle of Florida.

“We’ve exchanged a couple of words. Yeah, for sure. (About) the fighting matches, not the hockey matches,” the veteran goalie said with a chuckle.

Bobrovsky was speaking at the Leafs & Legends Charity Golf Classic, which featured the many new faces who have joined the organization since new front office leadership came into place on May 3, with John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as senior executive adviser of hockey operations. 

In the subsequent 16 weeks, the Maple Leafs have made more than two dozen personnel changes on and off the ice heading into the beginning of training camp later  this week. And among the most significant ones are the additions of Bobrovsky, Raddysh and Paul, who were front and center in so many of those Sunshine State showdowns. 

“The Battle of Florida was definitely fun. I asked him about that a little bit,” Paul said before breaking into a wry grin. “But yeah, it will be great. 

“Bob was super dialed in coming to the rink. He’s a true professional, unbelievable goalie, and obviously we’re happy to have him kicking pucks out for us.”

Bobrovsky, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Panthers, signed a three-year contract with the Maple Leafs on July 1. He went 32-15 with a 2.26 GAA, .910 save percentage and five shutouts in 47 playoff games during Florida’s championship runs of 2024 and 2025.

Poised to start the newest chapter of his career when the Maple Leafs have their first on-ice training camp workout on Thursday, the 37-year-old took to his Instagram account this week to show his appreciation to Panthers fans.  

“Thank you for everything, Florida,” he wrote in Russian as part of the post, which was accompanied by a photo of him sitting on the stairs of his South Florida home with the Stanley Cup.

Bobrovsky added that he hopes more victories will come with this “new phase,” one that got ramped up when he arrived in Toronto last month to begin his workout and conditioning process.

“He’s been nothing but a consummate pro since he arrived here,” Chayka said. “He’s been such a professional and a leader. He’s continuously told us that it’s a day-to-day process, and that you can’t look too far ahead or too far behind.”

Bobrovsky, who said he’s already found a place to live in the Toronto area, then doubled down on his comments made in July that wearing the Maple Leafs jersey is special. 

“It’s one of the most iconic teams that I join, and I’m excited about that,” he said. “For big franchises, there are big responsibilities and commitments and excitement too. So I’m enjoying all of this.

“It’s a hockey capital. And for a lot of players, it’s a dream to be here. And so I’m excited for the opportunity.”

Not to mention having captain Auston Matthews on the same team, not the opposing one.

“I’m so happy that I’m not going to play against him,” Bobrovsky said. “He’s an unbelievably skilled player. He’s got everything going for him: shot, skill, size, vision, everything. So to see him at practices and to be around him, it’s an honor.”

Bobrovsky is also buoyed by the presence of a couple of familiar faces within the Toronto organization in goalie Anthony Stolarz and fitness guru Andy O’Brien. In the case of Stolarz, he was Bobrovsky’s backup during the Panthers’ Cup-winning season of 2023-24.

“It’s great to have him again, great to have a reunion with him again,” he said of Stolarz. “He’s a great guy, and we look forward to working together to support each other and give this team a chance to win every night.”

O’Brien, who was hired during the offseason to become the Maple Leafs vice president of sport performance, worked extensively with Bobrovsky while both were with the Panthers.

“He’s a big pro,” Bobrovsky said. “It’s great to have him here. He helped a lot to build the process, especially on ice in Florida, and he’s going to do a great job here as well. So it’s a great addition to this club, and he’s going to make this club even more competitive.”

So, for that matter, should Raddysh and Paul, although, being southern Ontario natives, both have needed far less time to assimilate into their new surroundings than Bobrovsky.

For these two, they are coming home.

Raddysh was acquired in a sign-and-trade with the Lightning on June 19 that saw him agree to an eight-year deal that will expire when he is 38 years old. The Caledon, Ontario native used to attend Maple Leafs games with his late father Dwayne, who was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in May 2024 and passed away in March.  

“I’m not sure it’s sunk in yet,” Raddysh said Monday of being a Maple Leaf. “I think once I play that first game and get on the ice, I think it will sink in a little bit. But for now,  I’m just trying to enjoy it.”

Raddysh said he was on a flight back from Newfoundland when he learned that Paul, his former Tampa teammate, had been acquired by Toronto on July 1 for goalie Dennis Hildeby, a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

“I called him right away when we landed,” said Raddysh, who had 70 points (22 goals, 48 assists) in 73 games with the Lightning last season. “We’re excited. It’s great to have someone to lean on.”

For Paul, a Mississauga native, it’s a homecoming that remains surreal.

“I’ve already been talking with my family about just how crazy it is … going to games when I was younger, taking the GO Train, scalping tickets, heading up to the nosebleeds,” the 31-year-old forward said, adding that “having that Leaf jersey on and playing in front of everyone will be fun.”