The Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup victory against the Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Few voices in hockey command the same respect as Pavel Bure’s. The Russian Hall of Famer, known as “The Russian Rocket” for his explosive speed, played 12 NHL seasons with Vancouver, Florida and the New York Rangers, scoring 437 goals in just 702 games. A two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and a Calder Trophy recipient, Bure was inducted into both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2012. Now retired, he remains a sharp analyst of the modern game.
A Legacy Reignited in Florida
Two decades after dazzling fans as the face of the Florida Panthers, Bure is thrilled to see his former team cement its place as a modern NHL dynasty.
“I was more happy than surprised,” Bure said of the Panthers winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in an one-on-one interview with RG. “The Panthers truly earned this Cup. They were the best team throughout the playoffs. And even though they faced Edmonton and the best player in the world right now, Connor McDavid, Florida played like a real team. That’s why the Stanley Cup ended up in the right hands. They were better both in terms of play and results. I’m really happy for those guys and congratulate them on defending their title. It was a joy to watch.”
Bure was quick to highlight the role of general manager Bill Zito and the Florida front office.
“A huge one. Zito did a fantastic job. I especially liked the moves the Panthers made at the trade deadline—bringing in Seth Jones and Brad Marchand,” he said.
“Marchand is a veteran, but look at how he performed in the playoffs! The goals he scored, the plays he made—he was beating two guys at once and scored twice in the critical Game 5, when the series swung back in Florida’s favor. He even had a game-winner in overtime. That was a brilliant move by the front office. Marchand played a key role in winning the Stanley Cup.”
Another major factor in Florida’s success? Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. “Bobrovsky is a future Hall of Famer. He’s a major part of this Florida team, and just look at how he played in the Final. Personally, I would have given the Conn Smythe Trophy to him—he was the MVP of these playoffs in my eyes. He was Florida’s best player,” Bure said. “Sure, Sam Bennett was great too—scoring 15 goals in the playoffs is no small thing. He deserves a lot of credit as well. But if I had a vote, I would’ve given the Conn Smythe to Bobrovsky.”
Bure also reflected on his own time in Florida and the roots of hockey’s rise in the southern U.S. “When I came to Florida from Vancouver, it was still a new place for hockey in the NHL. I saw firsthand how interest started to grow,” he recalled. “Something similar happened in California when Edmonton traded Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles in 1988. After that, teams like San Jose and Anaheim joined the league. Since then, California has won three Stanley Cups and Florida now has five. I really believe that when a big-time player comes to a new market, it can spark a hockey boom in the region.”
McDavid’s Greatness and Edmonton’s Challenge
McDavid is entering the final year of an eight-year, $100 million contract he signed July 5, 2017. He led the Oilers to a second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. McDavid tied teammate Leon Draisaitl for the NHL postseason scoring lead with 33 points (seven goals, 26 assists) in 22 games. Draisaitl, meanwhile, is set to begin the first season of an eight-year, $112 million contract ($14 million AAV) he signed in September 2024.
As for McDavid, Bure was sympathetic. “Look, anything can happen in sports. I know guys who’ve won four Stanley Cups even though they barely played—seventh or eighth defensemen. And there are stars who never won a single one. Everyone’s path in sports is different. McDavid is clearly doing everything he can to win the Cup. You can see how much he gives in every game. But hockey is a team sport—no one can win it alone. Still, McDavid had an incredible playoffs. He was phenomenal.”
Would Bure advise McDavid to leave Edmonton in search of a title? Not at all.
“Edmonton is already a strong team. They’ve made the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row. And really, who’s better than them? Maybe only Florida. And the Oilers gave them a real fight—six games this year, seven last year,” Bure said. “If a team reaches the Final twice in a row, it clearly has a bright future. Their management also does a great job building the roster. They just need one or two more key pieces to take that last step. So no, I don’t see a reason for McDavid to leave. Edmonton has proven it can compete for the Stanley Cup.”
Should McDavid speak up about roster building? Bure thinks that would be normal.
“That’s not selfish at all. It’s actually pretty normal for team owners and general managers to consult their best players when making roster decisions,” he explained. “Of course, McDavid can’t demand specific players, but his opinion definitely matters. Sometimes star players even call free agents themselves to recruit them. Look at LeBron James—he builds rosters around him in the NBA. The same kind of thing happens in other sports too. When you’re the best player on your team, you should have a voice. You can bring something valuable to the team-building process.”
Sergey Demidov
