DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 23: Detroit Red Wings G Alex Lyon (34) during the game between Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings on February 23, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire)
The Philadelphia Flyers need to figure out their goaltending situation before they can seriously make that next step in their rebuild. They have a servicable starter in Sam Ersson, but he has not yet shown he can be workhorse without letting it effect him.
As for Ersson’s backups–Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov–neither has really proven to able to help Ersson by earning a consistent split of the workload. Fedotov is streaky; he’ll play great one game, then remind you why he is the backup in his next start. As for Kolosov, he has not proven that he is NHL ready. I don’t think that will change anytime soon.
That is where a reunion with Alex Lyon could make sense.
Would an Alex Lyon-Flyers Reunion Make Sense?
The Flyers need to search for a goaltender that can split the workload with Ersson until they can figure out their long term plan. That plan could Ersson developing into a work horse, or maybe they could be waiting on Carson Bjarnason or Yegor Zavragin to become impact players.
This is where a reunion with Alex Lyon could make sense.
Lyon signed with the Flyers back in 2017. He was an undrafted free agent signing after Lyon dominated the NCAA hockey world at Yale. He played well for a rookie in his first year, but was never really given a chance after that. Lyon would go on to play one season in Carolina which did not amount to much. He then signed with Florida ahead of the 2022/23 season where he made the most of his 15 starts, going 9-4-2 with a .914 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average.
He leveraged that into a two-year deal with Detroit, one that expires at the end of this season.
By no means has Lyon earned himself a true number one role on any team, but he may just be an improvment for the Flyers.
Alex Lyon’s Stats in Two Seasons with Detriot
2023/24: 44 GP, 21-18-5, .904 SV%, 3.05 GAA
2024/25: 25 GP, 11-8-1, .900 SV%, 2.77 GAA
Would Benefit Ersson?
I am not suggesting the Flyers just give up on any of their goaltenders. Ersson has the tools to be a real number one, he just needs some help. Fedotov could use some more refinement, and Kolosov needs to ACTUALLY develop, not jump right to NHL minutes.
Alex Lyon is not a long term solution. He is not going to block Ersson from reaching his potential, nor will he be a long term block in the way of Fedotov, Kolosov, Bjarnason, or Zavragin.
Instead, Lyon is a right now solution that could help Ersson next year. Instead of being his backup, think of it as more of a 1A 1B situation, not a starter and a backup. Lyon could be a 30+ start guy, allowing Ersson to put his health first.
Lyon is 32, and his career numbers suggest he wont be in the market for a long-term high-value contract. Instead, another two-year contract a bit higher in AAV than his current $900,000 would make sense. He will not break the bank to get, but plays at a good enough level to be a great support goalie for Ersson.
Detroit likley won’t be too worried about keeping Lyon around, especially with the possibility of Trey Augustine on the way. Lyon could be a reasonable free agency target that could have a lasting impact on the Flyers next season.
Would you be open to a reunion?
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