It wasn’t even a year ago, and the Philadelphia Flyers were looking at a goaltending issue that was a major problem at the time, and moving forward. At his year-end interview in the spring of 2025, Flyers general manager Danny Briere acknowledged the goaltending issue was something that couldn’t continue. He had discussions with the trio of keepers — Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov — at season’s end that they needed to be better. Much better.
Historically, for a team that has always had questionable goaltending (particularly when it mattered most), the 2024-25 season was one for the ages. The eye test made the bad goals a sight for sore eyes. Meanwhile the metrics were just beyond ridiculously bad. It probably left some wondering if the Flyers might just start some games with six skaters and see if they fared any better.
However, less than a year later, Briere has majestically transformed what was one of the team’s biggest weaknesses into what is arguably its biggest strengths. And what is even more incredible is that the issue was addressed without losing any key piece of the rebuild in the process. No crucial current player on the roster, or a promising prospect, was shipped out. No salary was retained. No buyout was needed. Only those who are huge supporters of defenseman Emil Andrae (now a Toronto Maple Leaf) would suggest they ended up losing something through these moves. However, it’s clear Andrae was not the piece that would leave a 2026-27 playoff spot for the Flyers hanging in the balance.
So, while not giving a minute-by-minute, blow-by-blow account of what transpired, let’s go back to what was staring Briere and the Flyers in the face roughly this time one year ago.
What Briere was looking at in the crease
Philadelphia was looking at the same mess with no real easy way out. Or so it seemed. Ersson, Fedotov, and Kolosov were obviously over their collective heads in 2024-25. Perhaps even harder for Briere was that the log jam was stifling the big club as well as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Philadelphia’s American Hockey League affiliate.
A three-goalie rotation wasn’t working, so something had to give. But first, Briere had to see if there was any reasonable, logical means in free agency to stem the bleeding going into 2025-26. It would mean, at least for the summer, the Flyers might be looking at four goaltenders heading into training camp. Four goalies trying to get two spots doesn’t work. Especially with three of the four bad and the fourth unknown as a starter. Briere knew that was a problem. He’d have to fix before training camp.
With only a few goalies that fit a certain cap hit and term, as well as not being aging veterans, Briere found a possible fix in goaltender Dan Vladar. A two-year, $6.7 million contract was signed on July 1. Again, no trading of pieces, no salary retained, nothing. It wasn’t seen as a huge deal. To some, it might have been a step sideways at best. So without knowing how anything would pan out, Vladar was going to be one of the two goaltenders they’d have heading into the 2025-26 training camp. And although Briere never said who would be the odd man (or men) out, the writing was on the wall that somebody was going to be moved.
How Briere started moving pieces
Considering the trio of Ersson, Fedotov, and Kolosov were all under contract for 2024-25, it’s rather surprising that Briere simply didn’t bite the bullet and buy out at least one of the three goaltenders. It would be ridiculous for Philadelphia to give up on the youngster Kolosov this early, particularly on an entry-level contract. So he seemed safe. That left Ersson and Fedotov as possible buyouts. However, prior to training camp starting last season, Briere got some wiggle room, trading Fedotov (and his full $3.275 million cap hit) to Columbus for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. With Fedotov out of the picture, that left the slots for Vladar, Ersson, and Kolosov a bit clearer: Vladar and Ersson seemed to be the proposed tandem for Philadelphia, while Kolosov would be heading to the Phantoms.
Over the 82 games, it was evident Briere made the deal of the free agent frenzy in signing Vladar. He was sensational throughout the season, giving Philadelphia a competent, consistent and calming presence between the pipes while bailing them out on some nights with stellar, timely saves. Meanwhile, Ersson showed flashes of being okay, but too often was finding himself with an .860 to .880 save percentage at night’s end. Not good enough, even for a 30-game backup. As for Kolosov, he played parts of three games for Philadelphia and one full contest over the season. Two games in January he appeared as Vladar was out with injury. The .830 save percentage in that short stint only confirmed he wasn’t in the mix for a few seasons. Or if the organization realistically was vying for a playoff spot in 2025-26.
So, Briere was still looking at this upcoming 2026-27 season with a goaltending issue: who was a competent backup for Vladar? And if it was someone else, what to do with Ersson?
Joseph Woll is the final puzzle piece
Move to the year-end interview at the end of the Carolina sweep. Briere didn’t say what he was going to do exactly, but didn’t confirm that the tandem of Vladar and Ersson would be a lock this September. The general manager wasn’t eager to part with Kolosov to make room for Ersson. Nor was Briere obviously intent on trying to work out an extension with Ersson who was a restricted free agent. So, on Tuesday, Briere pulled off another fairly decent, low-risk deal. In sending off Ersson to Toronto, he effectively made Toronto the decision-maker regarding the Swedish goalie’s future. It appears the Leafs might not extend a qualifying offer to him, making him an unrestricted free agent. However, the biggest piece coming back to Philadelphia was Joseph Woll.
Woll, at least on paper, couldn’t be a better tandem or backup goalie for Vladar. He’s coming off a sub-par year on a team that sucked more often than not most evenings. And while the .899 save percentage and 3.34 goals-against average might be eye-popping, consider he was on a bad team, and one that looked listless playing out the string in April (where Woll had a .825 save percentage in three games that final month). So, with Woll under contract for this year and next, Briere was able to completely alter the Philadelphia goaltending issue in under 12 months. All the while not giving up any key piece of the future, not taking on any bad contracts, nor having to eat or retain any contract being sent out.
It might not seem like Briere did a lot of heavy lifting over the last 12 months regarding goaltending. But he did an extremely credible job in switching that position from one of horror to one of strength. Some are projecting the Vladar/Woll tandem to be in the top 10 this coming season. Of course a lot of that will depend on what they do, and what may or may not be ahead of them regarding injuries. What’s evident is that the Flyers will have a very enticing one-two punch in goal for a cap hit of just a smidgeon over $7 million ($16,667 over that total in terms of Average Annual Value). Including Carey Price last season, there were 10 NHL goalies making over that amount all by themselves. And Woll’s deal is for two years, giving Philadelphia the chance for both Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason to develop and season a bit more. As well, there’s prospect Yegor Zavragin in Russia who is a few years away from North America.
Without going into what transpired in 2023-24, and how Ersson was run into the ground as Philadelphia were left with no other option down the stretch, it’s a credit to Briere that he’s managed to move the Flyers’ traditional Achilles heel of poor goaltending into such a positive this coming year. If someone 12 months ago today would’ve told you the Flyers in 2026-27 will be led to a playoff spot based on their goaltending, you would’ve been instructed to seek counselling. To see it realized with no cap retention or a key player heading out is remarkable. And should be a feather in Briere’s cap.
Stats courtesy of Capwages.com and ESPN.com.
