Grading Dan Vladar, Christian Dvorak contracts with Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers, who have not been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2020, are banking on the latest moves from general manager Daniel Briere that their drought could soon come to an end.

The Flyers have re-signed a handful of their current players, including Noah Cates and Cam York. Additionally, they acquired Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade while also signing goaltender Dan Vladar from the Calgary Flames and Christian Dvorak from the Montreal Canadiens.

Vladar agreed to a two-year contract with a $3.35 million cap hit, while Dvorak signed a one-year pact worth $5.4 million. How are these players going to affect the Flyers moving forward, and can they help the franchise return to the playoffs?

Could Dan Vladar finally be the Flyers’ solution in net?

According to Briere, Vladar jumped at the chance to don the Flyers jersey and to compete with the franchise that has long been searching for a bona fide No. 1 goaltender since the days of Ron Hextall.

“Dan Vladar told us very early on that he saw an opportunity,” Briere explained via NHL.com from the team practice facility located in Voorhees, New Jersey. “He wanted to come in and compete in Philadelphia, so we jumped on it.”

“He has a chance to become our No. 1,” Briere said. “Depending on how he plays, how our other guys play…The one thing, at the end of the year when I met with our group of goalies, I told them, ‘You have to be ready at training camp.’

“I said, ‘We’re probably gonna go out. This wasn’t good enough last season. We’re probably gonna go out and bring in some reinforcements, and you’re gonna be in a battle, all of you guys.’

Vladar, who was a draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 2015, began his career with the franchise but would later be traded to the Calgary Flames, where he was a backup to starter Jacob Markstrom.

He would eventually struggled with consistency despite a strong 13-6-2 record in his first season in Calgary, and upon the departure of Markstrom last offseason to the New Jersey Devils, Vladar wasn’t able to seize the starting reins from Dustin Wolf, who emerged as the new starter with the Flames.

This doesn’t mean that Vladar can’t be successful with his change of scenery, having relocated from Calgary to Philadelphia. At 27 years old, Vladar is still in the prime of his career and could easily bounce back under the system of new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

He’ll form a tandem with Samuel Ersson, who needed someone to routinely compete with for starting time heading into his contract season.

“It looks that way,” Briere said of a goalie competition between Vladar and Ersson. “The way they’ve played the last couple years, it’s probably Ersson/Vladar, but how many teams go with only two goalies? Not too many of them. You need three, four goalies.

“My message to them is, it doesn’t matter where you slot in right now. Come in, be ready, and when it’s your turn, you’ve got to perform. I hope we can create that environment that every single night they’re battling for their spot. We’re going to need at least three goalies, maybe more. We know that, and I think Vladar helps us put us in a better position.”

David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports