Bobrovsky shares Barkov's stance against jump to playoffs

Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky agrees with teammate Aleksander Barkov that the NHL shouldn't jump right into the playoffs if the 2019-20 season resumes.

"I think it's not really fair, because it's still, I believe, 12 or 13 games (remaining)," Bobrovsky said Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "Lots of games, and we're right in the mix. We have the opportunity to be in there, and if they just cut it off, I don't think it's fair."

Barkov shared the same sentiment in March. With the season on pause, the Panthers sit three points shy of a postseason berth with 13 games left. If the league decided to end the campaign and award the final playoff seeds based on points percentage, Florida would still miss out.

"From a sports standpoint, the season is 82 games and then the playoffs start," Bobrovsky said. "You just can't cut off where we are and move right into the playoffs."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday that the league continues to explore all options, though he admitted that completing the regular season "may not be possible."

Bobrovsky inked a seven-year, $70-million pact with the Panthers in July, but has struggled to find his game in Sunrise. The 31-year-old puck-stopper owns a .900 save percentage through 50 games.

Florida is in danger of missing the playoffs for a fourth straight campaign and the 17th time in the past two decades.