Ever since Carter Hart’s career with the Flyers ended back on Jan. 23, 2024, the team’s goaltending outlook has appeared foggier than a winter night in London, England.
Swedish netminder Samuel Ersson, who was a backup until Hart had to leave pro hockey due to his alleged involvement in the 2018 Hockey Canada scandal, has started the majority of games over the past season and a half.
The reviews of Ersson, along with alternates Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov, have been mixed to say the least.
So it came as no surprise when the Flyers chose to go after a goaltender when NHL free agency opened on July 1.
General manager Daniel Briere wasted no time signing 27-year-old Daniel Vladar, late of the Calgary Flames, to a two-year, $6.7-million contract.
Some may point to Vladar’s resume, which has a career season-high of only 30 games on it, and presume he will serve as an understudy to Ersson for the Flyers’ 2025-26 season.
But not so fast.
While Vladar, a Czechia native, acknowledges Ersson has an established presence with the team, he says he’s going to compete to the best of his ability and indicates he will let the chips fall where they may.
And Briere agrees with that assessment. In a recent press briefing, the GM called the situation “an open competition.”
“He (Vladar) has a chance to become our No. 1,” Briere declared back on July 1. “There’s no perfect goalie out there but we feel he gives us a chance to compete with our group and push the envelope.”
Briere made it clear none of the four goaltenders is guaranteed anything.
He told them “all you guys are going to be in a battle.”
Vladar, picked up by Boston in the third round (57th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, has posted decent numbers in his career. While his 2023-24 season was cut short by hip surgery, he bounced back last year to post encouraging numbers, including a 2.80 goals-against average.
In a Friday media Zoom call, Vladar explained the situation from his viewpoint.
One of the reasons he wound up in Philly is because he told Briere he wanted to come here. It looked like a good situation for a guy who wants to have a greater impact on a team’s fortunes.
“I spoke to a couple of my Czech buddies (including former Flyer forward Jake Voracek) and everyone suggested (good) things about Philadelphia,” Vladar said. “I heard they had some interest in me and I really wanted to come there.”
As for his role with the team, Vladar is keeping an open mind.
“To be honest, I just want to show up as ready as I can,” he said. “Play my best hockey. The way I think it should be is whoever is playing the best should go. Obviously I want to play as many games as I can but whoever is hotter at the time should be playing.”
If Vladar starts off playing well, who knows?
“I wasn’t satisfied with my role in Calgary,” he said. “I want to keep moving forward. I just feel Philly is the best spot for me moving forward. I’m one hundred percent confident I have a lot more in me. I’m super confident I can be playing a lot more games (than 30).”
Vladar played some of his best hockey down the stretch last season and that could be because the Flames were in the playoff hunt right down to the last couple weeks and he was finally completely healthy.
“Coming off the (March, ’24) surgery, as the year went on I felt better,” he said. “That was a huge part of why I was playing better. And it was a learning experience for me. I know what it takes for me to play my best hockey. That’s what I plan to do from day one in Philadelphia.”
Voracek gave Vladar nothing but positive feedback about his Philadelphia hockey experience. And why not? He played some of the best hockey of his career alongside former Flyer great Claude Giroux.
“When he (Voracek) was still playing, I used to work out with him (in the offseason),” Vladar said. “We have a pretty close relationship. He was the first guy I was talking to about Philly. He told me all about the best things in the city. Everyone (former players) enjoyed their time there. That was another reason why I really wanted to come to Philly.”
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