Philadelphia Flyers starting goaltender Dan Vladar‘s status is in question for game four against the Pittsburgh Penguins, head coach Rick Tocchet told the media today.
According to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, Vladar “was shaken up” midway through the third period of game three after a collision with Penguins forward Bryan Rust. “He was seen flexing his right arm and hand while trainer Tommy Alva attended to him,” Kurz wrote. Vladar did not skate with the team today, though Tocchet indicated that was more of a maintenance absence than anything else.
Vladar’s status is of immense importance to both sides of the first-round Battle of Pennsylvania, as a healthy Vladar gives the Flyers the best possible chance of closing out a sweep against their arch-rivals on Saturday in game four. The 28-year-old won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as team MVP for his efforts this season, and his .946 save percentage in this series has backstopped Philadelphia to the precipice of a statement series victory. His performance in the regular season, his first campaign as a full-time No. 1, was similarly impressive. He went 29-14-7 with a .906 save percentage and 2.42 goals against average.
If Vladar is unable to dress on Saturday, 26-year-old Samuel Ersson would almost certainly get the start. Ersson was the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie for the last two years before ceding that job to Vladar. He has had his moments, but more often than not has struggled. His .870 save percentage in 33 games this season is the lowest of any goalie with at least 25 games played, and that’s even including a solid run of form he displayed after the Olympic break.
Although Ersson’s numbers have been less than ideal, Tocchet expressed faith in the Swedish netminder, telling the media “I’m not really worried if he had to play. I really wouldn’t. He’s locked in.” Ersson has yet to appear in the Stanley Cup playoffs but does have three postseason starts on record at the AHL level, from 2022-23.
If Ersson does end up getting a start, the elevated stage of the playoffs would provide him with a unique opportunity to put his sub-par regular season numbers behind him. Ersson is set to become an RFA with arbitration rights this summer, and his $1.6MM salary for this season makes him a legitimate non-tender candidate. The chance to impress in playoff hockey – however limited that chance may be – could help Ersson secure an NHL landing spot in case the Flyers do elect to cut him loose.