Philadelphia Flyers Recall Aleksei Kolosov
According to the AHL transactions log, the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled netminder Aleksei Kolosov from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The transaction is linked to the Flyers’ announcement from yesterday evening, sharing that Daniel Vladař had left their game with an injury.
Kolosov, 24, was drafted with the 78th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, being ranked as the second-best European netminder available. He spent several years with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk, averaging a .909 SV% and 2.56 GAA across 120 games.
Despite a two-game stint with AHL Lehigh Valley in 2023-24, Kolosov’s first full season in the North American circuit came last year. He appeared in 17 games for Philadelphia, managing a 5-9-1 record with a .867 SV% and 3.59 GAA. Given how poorly all three of the Flyers’ netminders played last season, Kolosov played his part in the team eventually signing Vladař last offseason.
Fortunately, for his development, Kolosov has spent more time in the AHL this season. He appears to be gaining some confidence, posting a 9-9-1 record in 19 games with a .908 SV% and 2.54 GAA.
Unfortunately, despite Kolosov’s improvements, the team will likely be without Vladař for their next contest at the very least. He’s played a huge role in Philadelphia stabilizing their goaltending situation this year, winning 16 of 28 starts with a .905 SV% and 2.46 GAA. According to MoneyPuck, Vladař is ranked ninth out of the 57 goaltenders who have played in 15 or more games with a 9.5 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Metro Notes: Ovechkin, Flyers Goaltending, Wotherspoon
While Alex Ovechkin broke arguably the NHL’s most iconic record last season by scoring his 895th career goal, the Russian sharpshooter still has more milestones to chase in the coming year, Sports Illustrated’s Nick Horwat outlines.
In what could be his final season, Ovechkin will easily become the first player in NHL history to hit the 900-goal plateau. Just three goals away, a fast start should put that record in the rear-view mirror and could kick-start another pursuit in Ovechkin’s age-40 season. Currently, Gordie Howe holds the record for most goals by a 40-year-old player with the 44 he put up during the 1968-69 season with the Detroit Red Wings. It’s a lofty mark that remains unmatched 50-plus years later for a reason, but it’s a reasonable expectation for Ovechkin, who is coming off a 44-goal season while playing just 65 games.
Ovechkin is also just 18 points shy of cracking the NHL’s top 10 all-time scoring list, three goals away from entering the top 10 in playoff goals, and 192 hits short of becoming second all-time in that category.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan Division:
- The Philadelphia Flyers have been on a bit of a goaltending carousel over the years, due to a variety of circumstances. As Haley Taylor Simon of Philly Sports Network details, the situation may have hit rock bottom during the 2018-19 season when the team utilized an NHL-record eight goaltenders. Still, the Flyers haven’t exactly fortified the position since. However, Simon wonders if recently signed Dan Vladar could be the answer between the pipes. Still just 27, Vladar is coming off a solid showing with the Calgary Flames last season, appearing in 30 games and securing a .898 save percentage, a 2.80 GAA, and a career-high .586 quality start percentage. On the opening day of free agency, Vladar signed a to a two-year, $6.7MM deal and is expected to compete with Samuel Ersson, who appeared in 47 games for the Flyers last season and finished with a .883 save percentage and 3.14 GAA.
- Penguins GM Kyle Dubas expressed a desire to improve both the depth and overall performance of his left-side defensemen, which led to a series of free-agent signings aimed at finding the right fit. Among the players he signed, physical defenseman Parker Wotherspoon — who inked a two-year, $2 million deal with Pittsburgh — may have the inside track on a roster spot. Wotherspoon, 27, has appeared in 108 regular-season games in the NHL across three seasons, including a career-high 55 games for the Boston Bruins last season. On the year, he averaged 18:02 of ice time per night and registered seven points, 75 hits, and 66 blocked shots. He joins recently signed Caleb Jones and Alexander Alexeyev, as well as veteran Ryan Graves, and promising youngster Owen Pickering in Pittsburgh’s depth chart. Per Justin Guerriero of Triblive.com, Wotherspoon believes Pittsburgh gives him the best opportunity to play. “They seemed interested, we seemed interested and we thought it’d be a good fit with some opportunity to play. … An opportunity to get back in the playoffs is all I wanted to do. Everything just kind of lined up really well,” he said.
LeBrun Notes: Provorov, Hurricanes, Canucks
In his latest rendition of ‘NHL Rumblings’ (Subscription Article), Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic touched on several topics including the future of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman, Ivan Provorov. Provorov is in the final year of a six-year, $40.5MM contract and is believed to be a top trade chip heading into deadline season.
There is some growing belief in Columbus that the Blue Jackets and Provorov may opt to turn toward extension talks rather than a trade. This does not indicate that the Blue Jackets wouldn’t receive adequate value for Provorov in any hypothetical trade but simply that he is content with the city and the organization.
Provorov’s agent, Mark Gandler of International Sports Advisors Co., was quoted in the article saying, “Ivan is happy to be in Columbus, happy to play there. He thinks that the team is going to go places. It’s clear that the team is better than it was last year. Personally, I have all the confidence in the world in (general manager) Don Waddell’s ability. He’s an experienced manager who knows what he’s doing. I think the team is going to improve every year.”
The Yaroslavl, Russia native will have family in the area should he continue his relationship with the Blue Jackets organization. Provorov’s younger brother, Vladimir Provorov, recently committed to The Ohio State University and will begin play there during the 2027-28 NCAA season.
Other notes from LeBrun:
- LeBrun reiterated the Carolina Hurricanes’ interest in Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson. The most recent connection between the Hurricanes and Gibson came in a separate article from LeBrun nearly a month ago. Carolina isn’t enthusiastic about Anaheim’s asking price for Gibson which has the organization turning toward short-term options. LeBrun cites Utah Hockey Clubs’ Karel Vejmelka, Ottawa Senators’ Anton Forsberg, and Calgary Flames’ Dan Vladar as viable trade candidates moving toward deadline season.
- LeBrun also shared that the Vancouver Canucks were already looking for a top-four defenseman before losing defenseman Filip Hronek for the next several weeks. Hronek’s injury has increased Vancouver’s motivation to acquire a defenseman and LeBrun asserts there should be a solution long before the deadline. The Canucks are looking for more consistency from their roster as they’ve only managed a 4-2-2 record since the calendar turned to December.
Flames Shopping Dan Vladar
In recent days, there have been several reports that key veterans are looking to leave the Flames. But those players might not be the only ones on the move as Pierre LeBrun, Michael Russo, and Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic report (subscription link) that Calgary is shopping goaltender Dan Vladar around the league.
The 25-year-old is coming off his second season as being the backup to Jacob Markstrom. His numbers dipped a bit this season as Calgary struggled, posting a 2.87 GAA with a .894 SV%, 12 points lower than his mark from 2021-22. That said, the drop-off in performance isn’t shocking with the Flames going from winning the Pacific Division a year ago to missing the playoffs this past season.
Vladar will be entering the first season of a two-year contract that he signed back in October, one that carries an AAV of $2.2MM. As far as backup goaltenders go, that’s still on the lower scale. However, with the Flames having Dustin Wolf in their system with a cap hit that’s less than $50K above the league minimum, making that goalie swap would free up some much-needed cap space; Calgary currently sits with just $1.25MM in room per CapFriendly with multiple roster spots to fill.
However, with Vladar’s contract being on the lower end for a second-stringer, it’s one that should carry some value around the league. LeBrun, Russo, and Duhatschek note that the Flames expect to at least get a second-round pick for the netminder which would be an improvement on the third-rounder they parted with to get him back in 2021.
The free agent market for goaltenders is relatively thin this summer which has resulted in some speculation surrounding netminders on the trade front. It appears that Vladar is now a part of that list, joining veterans Connor Hellebuyck, John Gibson, and Chris Driedger who have all come up in trade speculation in recent weeks. If a team is looking to get a jump start on shoring up their backup situation, there’s a good chance they’ll be calling up new GM Craig Conroy in the near future if they haven’t done so already.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Calgary Flames Extend Dan Vladar
The Calgary Flames have clearly loved what they have seen from backup goaltender Dan Vladar. The two sides have agreed to a two-year extension worth a total of $4.4MM. The deal, which carries a $2.2MM average annual value, will start in 2023-24.
Vladar, 25, found his way to the Flames in 2021 by way of trade with the Boston Bruins and has appeared in 24 regular season games since. While his .906 save percentage with Calgary isn’t outstanding, he has the trust of the coaching staff. When recently asked about workload, head coach Darryl Sutter told reporters including Eric Francis of Sportsnet that he plans on giving Vladar at least one start a week – noting that there are 26 weeks in the regular season.
That 26 number would be a career-high for the third-round pick, but the Flames are committed to reducing Jacob Markstrom‘s workload and making sure he’s at full health by the playoffs. The 32-year-old Markstrom is coming off a brilliant campaign but faded at the end, with a .901 save percentage in 12 postseason appearances.
A two-year deal for Vladar also allows the Flames to be patient with prospect Dustin Wolf, who took home the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s best goaltender last season but is still just 21. Wolf will likely be waiver-exempt until 2025, the same time Vladar’s deal now ends.
An extension is a solid show of faith in the young Czech netminder, but also could point to the confidence teams have in the rising salary cap. The Flames now have more than $81.7MM committed to 17 players for next season, as huge extensions for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar kick in. That said, general manager Brad Treliving is getting a nice head start on next summer. Connor Mackey is now the only roster player who is currently scheduled to be an RFA in the 2023 offseason, and Milan Lucic, Trevor Lewis, Brett Ritchie, and Michael Stone are the only pending UFAs.
Snapshots: Canadiens Staff Changes, Vladar, Tkachuk
The Montreal Canadiens aren’t done re-shaping their organization under the new management of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes. Today the Canadiens announced that longtime video coach Mario Leblanc is stepping down from his role, and the video coach of the AHL Laval Rocket, Daniel Harvey, has been promoted to Leblanc’s former role. The Canadiens did also say that Leblanc would “remain involved” in the organization, continuing to work within the scope of hockey operations. His specific responsibilities are unclear. Leblanc has worked in the role of video coach for a quarter of a century and is one of the longest-tenured faces in their organization.
In a move that came a bit more quietly, former Florida Panthers scout Billy Ryan was named Director of Player Evaluation in Montreal, as reported by Arpon Basu and Marc-Antoine Godin of The Athletic. (subscription link) Ryan has worked as an amateur scout for the Panthers since 2015-16. Per Basu and Godin’s reporting, Ryan ran the Panthers’ 2020 draft when they were between scouting directors, guiding them to the selections of center Anton Lundell 12th overall and current Canadiens prospect Emil Heineman in the second round.
Now, for some other notes from across the NHL:
- Calgary Flames goalie Daniel Vladar has changed representation. Agent Dan Milstein announced today that Vladar is now being represented by his agency, Gold Star Hockey. Vladar will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next season, and this agency change could be Vladar’s way of preparing for next summer. Vladar performed decently well in his 23-game stint as Jacob Markstrom‘s backup, posting a .906 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against-average.
- Matthew Tkachuk ended up traded to the Florida Panthers, but that trade didn’t come without attempts from other teams to secure his services. One of those teams, per Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest, is the New York Islanders. Strickland reports that the Islanders showed “significant interest” in Tkachuk but ultimately could not or did not complete a deal. The Islanders have been highly secretive in recent years when it comes to their offseason plans, something that should be expected of any team run by legendary GM Lou Lamoriello. But if his reported interest in Tkachuk is any indication, the Islanders are going hunting for a big-name addition this summer. Could free agent center Nazem Kadri be in their plans?
Dustin Wolf Recalled On Emergency Basis
The Calgary Flames will have a backup goaltender tonight with just 19 games of AHL experience. One that was selected 214th overall in 2019. One that is just 20 years old. They’ll also have a backup goaltender who has lost just six games since the end of the 2019-20 season.
Dustin Wolf has been recalled by the Flames under emergency conditions as Dan Vladar has been designated non-roster for tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Brett Ritchie will also be unavailable as he was placed in the COVID protocol and did not travel with the team. Byron Froese has been assigned to the taxi squad.
Wolf, 20, was deemed too small in his draft year, so fell all the way to the seventh round, nearly going undrafted altogether despite leading the WHL in both save percentage (.936) and goals-against average (1.69). He went 41-15-2 for the Everett Silvertips that season and came back in 2019-20 to once again league the league in both categories, taking home CHL Goaltender of the Year honors. His 2020-21 season with the Silvertips was much of the same, as Wolf posted a .940 and 1.80 GAA while going 18-3.
He’s too small for professional hockey, some said, but Wolf has continued that outstanding play this season in the AHL. With a 14-0-2 record, .940 save percentage, and 1.84 GAA for the Stockton Heat, he’s done nothing but stop the puck at the pro level. While there’s still a long way to go before he puts up numbers like that in the NHL (or even receives playing time), it’s hard to bet against–and easy to root for–the young netminder.
Dan Vladar Added To COVID Protocol
After three consecutive days with no additional positive cases, the Calgary Flames reopened their training facility yesterday. Unfortunately, Dan Vladar, one of the handful of players that had not yet entered the protocol for the Flames, was placed there today.
That leaves just Matthew Tkachuk, Blake Coleman, and Michael Stone as the only active, healthy players for the Flames not in the COVID protocol. The team hasn’t played a game since December 11 and is not scheduled to take the ice again until December 27 against the Edmonton Oilers.
Whether that game will actually happen remains to be seen, as cases rise across the league, but the Flames would potentially have some players back in time. Not Vladar, though, if he’s put through the same 10-day quarantine period as others.
Calgary Flames Acquire Dan Vladar
After the Boston Bruins signed Linus Ullmark to a long-term deal, it was clear that one of the team’s young duo of Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar would have to go. It didn’t take long to make a decision, as Vladar is on his way to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick.
The 23-year-old Vladar made his regular season debut this year, playing in five games for the Bruins. He posted an .886 save percentage during those appearances, but still looked like he might have an NHL future with the Bruins before long. Tuukka Rask is getting older and was facing a long rehab from hip surgery, while veteran backup Jaroslav Halak was moving on from the team. The third-round pick had plenty of AHL success to show for his time in the organization, including a league-best .936 save percentage in 2019-20.
The moment that Boston signed Ullmark though, everything changed, and Vladar will now have to prove his worth all over again to a new team. Still, that may be a blessing for the young netminder, who moves into a Calgary depth chart as the potential NHL backup. The team has prospect Dustin Wolf that looks to have a bright future, but he’s at least a few years away from pushing for NHL playing time. Vladar can instead slide in right behind starter Jacob Markstrom and attempt to establish himself as a backup at the highest level.
Landing a third-round pick for a promising young goaltender might not be ideal, but at least the Bruins got something of value back from a tight situation. Vladar is not waiver-exempt any longer, meaning they potentially could have lost him for nothing at the start of the season. While they won’t get back all the hours and money spent developing him, at least they recoup the pick they used to select him in 2015.
Overseas Notes: Lindholm, Bobkov, Vladar
It’s been an interesting season to say the least for forward Par Lindholm. The veteran sought his release from the Boston Bruins back in February and was granted a contract termination, citing his desire to play a more meaningful role than the 15th or 16th forward on the Bruins’ depth chart. His wish for more commitment and standing was granted almost immediately after he left Boston, returning to his former SHL club Skelleftea AIK on a whopping five-year deal. Lindholm played in 11 games down the stretch for Skelleftea, recording nine points, and then added six points in a dozen playoff games for the semifinalist. Lindholm quickly proved to be an invaluable piece for Skelleftea and with a long-term deal in place, it seemed that it would stay that way for some time. Well, that may not be the case. Skelleftea has announced today that Lindholm has exercised a previously unreported “out clause” in his contract to leave the team for the 2021-22 season. The team notes that the remaining four years on his deal do remain valid and they hope he returns to play out his contract. Where Lindholm is off to next that he considers an upgrade to Skelleftea remains unknown; his time in the NHL showed that the league’s teams do not see him as any more than a bottom-six depth player, so remaining in Europe seems likely. A better offer in Sweden or an opportunity in the KHL could have prompted this decision by Lindholm, but only time will tell.
- So much for the Igor Bobkov NHL comeback speculation. Fresh off of a Gagarin Cup title, Bobkov was granted a release from the newly-crowned champs Avangard Omsk on Monday, with the expectation being that he would be looking to test the NHL free agent market this summer. The former Anaheim Ducks top prospect has dominated the KHL for six years running and at 30 years old could still have had appeal in a second try in North America. Instead, another KHL club, Ak Bars Kazan, has inked Bobkov to a one-year deal, putting an end to any NHL possibilities for next season. Why Omsk, who still had Bobkov under contract for one more year, opted to terminate him instead of trade him to Kazan remains a mystery, but regardless the KHL retains one of its very best netminders for at least the 2021-22 campaign.
- Another KHL club has made an interesting move in net, although they may never reap the benefits. Automobilist Yekaterinburg announced today that they have acquired the KHL rights of Boston Bruins goaltender Dan Vladar in exchange for minor league forward Kirill Pilipenko. Vladar would of course be an excellent addition for Yekaterinburg, that is if he ever leaves North America in his pro career. While Jeremy Swayman has overshadowed Vladar in Boston this season, the latter has quietly been one of the very best goalies in the AHL both this season and last. In fact, he held the best save percentage and GAA mark in the AHL in 2019-20. The 23-year-old was a third-round pick by the Bruins back in 2015 and already has five pro seasons under his belt, including three AHL seasons with a .923 save percentage or better. While Vladar’s early NHL results have not been spectacular, that shouldn’t hurt his value as a prospect as compared to his size, composure, and minor league track record. Heading into next season, other teams may even get a chance to show just how much upside they see in Vladar. The young goaltender will lose his waiver exemption in 2021-22 and if, as many expect, the Bruins go with a tandem of re-signed Tuukka Rask and Swayman next year, the team may try to trade Vladar if they don’t think they can sneak him through waivers. Via trade or waiver claim, Vladar could find himself on an NHL roster on a permanent basis beginning next season. If it goes well, Vladar could be on an NHL roster for much of the rest of his career, as opposed to joining Automobilist in the KHL. Things would have to go south in a major way for the young keeper in order for Yekaterinburg to see any returns on this trade in the near future.