The '25-'26 Philadelphia Flyers thread

[VoteForKalas]

Mainly because he has only been a #1 goalie one season (last season) and goalie consistency is an issue league-wide.

There are only a handful of goalies good enough to sign long term - I think an approach of having two goalies on reasonable short term deals is better way to manage the position.

Plus we already had him signed for next season. I would have waited, made sure he is able to sustain his performance for at least part of the campaign and then sign him if he does.

He'll be 29 in August and this contract will carry him until he is 34. The per annum amount is reasonable, but obviously to get that they felt compelled to give him more years. I guess we'll see what happens and who they use as a backup goalie will tell us more too.

[zambonir]

Plus we already had him signed for next season. I would have waited, made sure he is able to sustain his performance for at least part of the campaign and then sign him if he does.

But if you do that and he excels he probably chooses to test free agency, or at least the Flyers are paying way more to keep him from doing so.

It's a risk but the scarcity of goalies and the inconsistency is why you have to keep a bird in hand when you have it. Especially when he's a quality person and locker room leader, on a franchise with a particularly checkered history of flakes, flops and f***-ups (Heck, forget the full history: Flyers had all three of those just last season, and that's not even counting Ersson, who is merely disappointing).

[Austinfan]

The character thing matters if they think Zavragin is the future.
You'd want a veteran who'd mentor, not undercut him.
Ideally, they'd start out as 1A/1B with the roles reversed over time as Zavragin grows into the role.

[zambonir]

It's not like every free agent - especially every free agent goalie - is on the team under their contract for life either.

Flames are paying Wolf $7.5 million (cap) through 2032 and that was on the strength of, really, one season (though he's young). Adin Hill makes $6.25 through 2031 and will probably get traded. Gibson (a guy the Flyers might have traded for last year) finishes an eight-year $6.4 million deal at the age of 33 next season. If Vladar is really only getting $5.5 million that's still pretty much tandem or average starter money, not proven goalie money (which is $7-8.5) or star goalie money ($9-11.5).

[bigegypt0417]

Zavragin is probably still a few years off from being in the mix...with that timeline you never know if the Flyers have a different plan and he gets traded.

He only played in 12 games this year so he's got some playing to do before he's on the radar. Getting moved to a better team should help that.

[LegoDoom]

Carolina does suggest that fans can stop obsessing over a 1C and 1D.

Then why are you against bringing in a non-elite 1C? You have repeatedly said that signing/trading for a C that isn't elite is not the right thing to do.

[zambonir]

news

The Flyers have their new backup goalie: Joseph Woll, who they just acquired in a deal from Toronto. By the numbers, it's a significant upgrade over Sam Ersson, who goes out in the deal.

Emil Andrae gets shipped out as well. I kinda figured he was likely to be moved this summer.

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieoconn.bsky.social) June 16, 2026 at 11:49 AM

[bigegypt0417]

Flyers are also getting Simon Benoit and sending a 3rd round pick to Toronto.

Seems steep for a bottom pair Defenseman...I wonder if this was the sweetener for the first round pick?

[VoteForKalas]

They had no place for Andrae with the guys coming up and the current D roster at the NHL level. Plus I think they continue to believe he is under-sized for the NHL despite his improvement IMO over the last season+.

Do not know much about Woll, but it was obvious the Flyers were not going to bring Ersson back due to his lack of performance and Vladar's emergence as the #1 guy.

Benoit is a stay at home D man with little offense and a reasonable salary of 1.35M. Perhaps he is the 7th guy or if Risto is moved he can slide into the 3rd pair if Bonk or Juricek do not make the jump.

[zambonir]

I think Woll is still the most valuable piece. Benoit is still more a depth piece. Charlie's follow-up suggested he should just be the replacement for Juulsen. Andrae never could quite win a full-time job nor was he going to be a top PP type options. Benoit's got more size, but how he really fits depends on what else the Flyers do (trade Risto, sign someone, keep Bonk in the NHL? We already know Jiricek has to be).

[xogfog]

They basically just traded back up goalies and 7th defensemen. However the third round pick is leaving the Flyers with just 4 picks in this draft.

So in 2026 the have 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th round picks
In 2027, they have 2 1sts, a 2nd, 2 3rds, 4th, 5th and 2 7ths.

[zambonir]

It's a decisive financial commitment to the goalie tandem. Woll has a $3.67 million cap hit for two more seasons so he'll actually make a little more than Vlader for one year. I think they would have been willing to keep Ersson but riskier to do so with the RFA salary bump he's gonna get. He still might end up in the AHL for Toronto.

[bigegypt0417]

lots of draft capital in 2027 to move for either players or to move up in this draft.

the Toronto pick is the valuable chip.

[zambonir]

Flahr told the Inquirer a couple of weeks ago that they don't think this draft is very deep ("we kind of targeted this year as the year that we’re going to be short a pick or two").

[Squire]

After Martone, Flahr's 2025 Draft Class was also not that deep.

[zambonir]

that would seem to be a critique of quality not quantity. But sure, if you don't like the way he picked nine players you won't like the way he picks four.

[Squire]

Agreed. I'm good with Danny turning picks into player value outside of the draft process since I don't think we are very good at it. Even though I think we sold a little low on Andrae I like this trade as I think the goalie is an upgrade and under control for 2 more years.

[bigegypt0417]

Nesbitt will be on a stacked university of Michigan team this coming season. Could be a developmental year for him.

Had a decent OHL season.

[VoteForKalas]

As one who believes in tandem goaltending, Woll should be a more dependable option with Vladar and I hope Tocchet would use him enough to keep Vladar fresh and healthy. .

This not a cheap tandem, but one cannot have everything. I certainly feel better with Woll if Vladar goes down. The other advantage which I think did help Vladar too is our defensive structure as a team and hopefully an improving offense led by the PP having impact as well.

[phillychuck]

I still think Errson might be pretty good, but the Flyers didn’t want to take the chance. He’s a very popular guy in their locker room...I hope that doesn’t hurt their chemistry.