When Dan Vladar signed his two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Flyers last July 1, the idea was Philadelphia at least might have somebody who could compete with Sam Ersson for the starter’s role. At worst, he would be a far more capable backup for Ersson compared to what Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov were in 2024-25. The bar was incredibly low. Vladar couldn’t hurt, right?
Well, 81 games later, and with a meaningless game (in the best way possible) to close out the season tonight against Montreal, Vladar has been the team’s biggest asset this year. He should be possibly in the conversation when it comes to the Vezina Trophy although it’s a long shot for him to win it. In short, Vladar was a cornerstone in this season’s turnaround and sprint to the finish.
“I have no words,” Vladar said on the bench during an interview with NBCSP’s Scott Hartnell moments after clinching the playoff spot. “I have no words, nobody believed us right from the beginning of the season. We just proved everybody wrong. I’m so proud of the guys that played in front of me.”
Legendary interview from Dan Vladar
— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) April 14, 2026
This man BLEEEEEDS orange
I HAVE CHILLS pic.twitter.com/u6Xr13gsaY
And the Flyers should be proud of their goalie. Vladar will most likely end the season just shy of 3,000 minutes played, with a .906 save percentage, and a 2.42 goals-against average. He never played this much before. And has never looked better! The signing looks like the steal of the summer for Flyers general manager Danny Briere, especially knowing he’ll have Vladar for next year at the same ridiculously low cap hit.
“Oh my god, this is awesome, this is why you play hockey,” Vladar said to Hartnell. “Especially here, people are starving for it. I’m so proud to help them deliver that experience. And I can ensure our fans that we are going to do everything we can to make it as far as we can.”
Believed from training camp
Vladar should end with a record of 29-14-7 in his 51 starts, two more wins than his first two seasons in Calgary combined as the Flames backup. So coming to a new team and new city provided a fresh start for him. And it’s something he seized from day one. From the sounds of it, although nothing was said definitively from Flyers general manager Danny Briere, it wasn’t just the players who had playoff aspirations.
“Well maybe he didn’t say to me at the time but he told us at the beginning of the season, at the beginning of the year — I hope he’s not going to get mad at me — but he said the goal was to make the playoffs,” Vladar said in the locker room post-game regarding Briere’s statement to the team at training camp.
Clearly developing the youth was also critical, but Philadelphia wasn’t going to shy away from trying to make game 83 if the opportunity arose. Briere wasn’t going to be a buyer at the deadline to get there, but some good fortune with Tyson Foerster returning and Porter Martone coming aboard, and a tight, defensive system made the sprint to the finish doable.
“That was always the belief in this room,” Vladar said. “Obviously we knew if it was the media or outsiders who didn’t really believe in us but we always had the belief here since day one. We were just trying to reach our goals and I’m glad we were able to do that in Game 81.
“We were trying to play good hockey, and play with the heart that I think from what I remember the Flyers used to be back in the day,” Vladar said later, clearly remembering the reputation Philadelphia had as an almost guaranteed playoff team years ago. “So, you know, that’s just the mentality here. I felt since day one that if you’re going to do your best the hockey gods are going to help you. That’s what we were trying to do the whole year. Finally we deserve it, and the people, the fans, they deserve it as well. We are glad that we were able to do it.”
Rick Tocchet had no choice in the crease
While head coach Rick Tocchet said he had confidence in both Flyer goalies, one look at Vladar Monday indicated there was no viable choice. Vladar wanted the start, and wanted to get this playoff spot clinched against Carolina.
“All year, like I said, he came from Calgary, I don’t know if he had a chip on his shoulder, he believed in himself,” Tocchet said after the game. “Great guy. Like I told you all year I said to you guys he could wear the ‘C’ or the ‘A,’ he’s a letter guy. He was at the rink yesterday getting recovery, he wanted this game. There was no chance. And Ersson has played well. It could’ve went either way, don’t get me wrong. But Vladdy looked at me and there was no chance that I couldn’t put him in the net. He earned it.”
Vladar said the team came back from the Olympic break with very little to lose and everything to gain. But rather than look at the bigger picture, the Flyers focused on the game in front of them, the period ahead of them, and even the next shift.
“We were playing playoff hockey for the last month and a half,” he said. “Since the Olympic break we were trying to catch teams ahead of us. So for me it was getting ready for every single game and leaving everything I had out there. I know that the guys in front of me were playing with injuries or are playing with injuries. So it’s a quick turnaround for us and we’re going to get ready for game one.”
Looking forwards to Pittsburgh
Looking ahead to the Penguins seemed like a pipe dream a month ago. Yet Philadelphia will play game one in Pittsburgh with a date and time still being worked out. Vladar says the team has to worry about themselves playing well more than the Penguins and the Hall of Famers looking to get one more deep run at a Cup.
“We just got to play the right way and play for each other,” he said. “We’re a really tight group and people can see it on the ice, the Flyers are never going to give up for each other. Well obviously we know it’s going to be huge, but it doesn’t matter who is going to play against us. We’re going to focus on us, play our hockey, and see what happens.”
If previous playoff series between these two clubs who clearly aren’t fond of each other are any indication, buckle up.
