He still might be blaming himself, replaying the season-ending overtime goal against Carolina in Game 4 in his mind. But Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar was the brightest spot throughout the 2025-26 season. As strong as the seasons (and stints) Trevor Zegras and Porter Martone had, the performance Vladar consistently gave nearly the entire season was well beyond anything any other skater did. Toss in the fact the Flyers were coming off one of the worst statistical goaltending seasons in franchise history, and it was beyond stellar. Especially for a goaltender whose signing wasn’t that big of a deal outside of the Flyer media circles and fanbase. Flyers general manager Danny Briere took a chance on Vladar, and, if speculation is any indication, Vladar could see himself with the Flyers for the foreseeable future with a rather lengthy, fruitful contract extension.
After signing on July 1 to the two-year, $6.7 million contract, Vladar was seen as the backup or tandem goalie with Sam Ersson. However, right out of the gate, Vladar began showing himself to be far more than just a backup keeper. He wouldn’t feel happy with getting 30 starts in a season, playing half of the back-to-back games, and giving Ersson the occasional game off. But starting in October, Vladar made the most of every opportunity he was afforded. Although losing his first game as a Flyer to Florida 2-1, he stopped 32 of 34 shots for a .941 save percentage. That magic .900 save percentage stat was an exception to the rule in 2024-25, so any game over that mark was considered a victory. It should be the norm, but it showed how low the bar was regarding Philadelphia goaltending. In six October starts, Vladar had a .939 save percentage, allowing just 10 goals in 165 shots. On the other hand, Ersson’s four October starts resulted in a .876 save percentage, a sharp contrast to Vladar’s excellence.
| Games played | Starts | Wins | Losses | OT/SO Losses | GAA | Save percentage | Shutouts | Goals Saved Above Expected |
| 52 | 51 | 29 | 14 | 7 | 2.42 | .906 | 0 | 13.1 |
With Philadelphia comfortably in a playoff spot as the calendar turned into 2026, Vladar helped the Flyers beat Edmonton and Anaheim and he kept rolling. However, on Jan. 12 against Buffalo, Vladar was injured. The injury kept him out two weeks, but Philadelphia hit a rut, dropping a lot of games with their vital starter trying to shake off some rust. upon his return. Vladar looked strong in February, albeit a small sample size (four games). With the keeper set to participate in the Olympics, he found a reset and looked primed for the homestretch despite Philadelphia looking as if they were buried in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. A strong 26-save performance against Boston ensured the Flyers weren’t quite looking at the lottery balls. At least not yet.
Down the homestretch, Vladar still had one or two clunkers as he was in unchartered waters playing far more than he ever had in one National Hockey League season. Many expected him to hit a wall much like Ersson, but he never did. In April he won five of six starts, including the playoff-clinching shootout win against Carolina in the eighty-first game of the season. Vladar was only getting started. With his first shutout of the season in Game 2 against Pittsburgh, he hit a bit of a bump later in the series with one Pittsburgh goal the result of some poor puck management Vladar’s part, and another a bad bounce that deflected into the net. Regardless, he was absolutely sensational in Game 6, the thrilling 1-0 overtime win over Pittsburgh that saw him make 42 saves and provide a boisterous “wake up” to his exhausted teammates just before the Cam York goal as the Penguins couldn’t crack the keeper. This despite getting banged up during the season and looking like he hyperextended his right elbow when Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust landed on him earlier in the series.
As we know, the season ended with Vladar missing a glove save and Carolina ending it in overtime in Game 4, sweeping Philadelphia and ending the team’s and the goalie’s magical season. Briere hit a home run with the rather under-the-radar signing, and the keeper might be around the team for the foreseeable future if an extension is in the works.
Did Vladar live up to expectations?
While the bar was so low to start, Vladar exceeded every conceivable expectation throughout the season. He had 37 quality starts, or 72.5 per cent of his entire season. That meant, unlike Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, or Aleksei Kolosov for nearly all of 2024-25, Vladar was going to give his team a chance at earning two points or at least ensuring they’d get a point in overtime or the shootout. That model of consistency was something Philadelphia fed off of, knowing not every fourth or fifth shot on goal against them was a goal. That confidence was visible most of the season and especially down the homestretch, when the defense tightened up even more and Vladar was there when needed.
In all statistical metrics (both analytical and the usual standards), he set career highs despite having registered 10 “Really Bad Starts” (save percentage under .850). And in the playoffs, he never faltered, keeping the Flyers in the fight until the bitter end against a superior Carolina club.
What can we expect from Vladar next season?
If anyone knew for sure what Vladar can offer in 2026-27, they would be very rich. Based on this season alone, Vladar is easily a rung or three above any goaltender the Flyers had the last few seasons. He is still young in terms of goaltenders and their trajectories, and should have a lot of runway left ahead of him. The thing with goaltenders is that sometimes one stellar season can set them up the rest of their lives financially.
If Vladar is close to the goaltender he was this past season, Philadelphia should easily be in the running for another playoff run in April and May of next year. Should he remain healthy, and should head coach Rick Tocchet’s structure remain relatively in check, Vladar is capable of posting similar or possibly marginally better numbers than in year one in Philadelphia. And the contract extension isn’t looking as questionable as it might become.
The thing with goaltenders though is one season could be vastly different than the next. Was this Vladar’s career season we just witnessed, resulting in a keeper who will be doing well to stay near a .900 save percentage moving forward? Or is this the first season in what could be a very solid tenure with his new club? Time will tell. If the numbers are any indication, and he remains healthy, Vladar should once again answer the bell next year. One key difference between this season past and the coming season is the season won’t be as tightly condensed given the absence of the Olympic break. That could be a plus in terms of a few more off days and rest for him.
How do we grade Vladar’s 2025-26 season?
What Dan Vladar did for the Flyers this past season was incredible given how low expectations were. He willed the Flyers off to a great start. And willed them back into the playoffs with some excellent performances, and making the timely save when required. If it wasn’t for the injury in Buffalo which kept him out of action in January, and the time it took to shake off rust, Vladar should’ve been a nominee for the Vezina this season. On the whole, Dan Vladar was the best player on the Flyers by a country mile. A player who might have inadvertently sped up the rebuild in terms of the fans, but provided a fantastic foundation from which the team might be able to build from moving forward.
Grade: A+
Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com and ESPN.com.
