The Philadelphia Flyers are in the middle of their roughest stretch of the season - a five-game skid that’s tested their depth, their identity, and their mental toughness. But amid the frustration, there’s at least a flicker of good news: goalie Dan Vladar, who’s been dealing with an upper-body injury, is considered day-to-day.
That’s a sigh of relief for a team that can’t afford another long-term absence, especially in net. With Vladar temporarily sidelined, the Flyers are turning to their backup tandem of Samuel Ersson and top prospect Aleksei Kolosov to hold the line - at least for now.
Vladar won’t be available for Saturday’s home tilt against the New York Rangers, a game that suddenly carries extra weight. The Rangers, also struggling of late, are stumbling into Wells Fargo Center at just the right (or wrong) time, depending on how you look at it.
One of these teams is going to snap out of it. The Flyers are hoping it’s them.
That means the pressure’s on Ersson and Kolosov to steady the ship. Kolosov, 24, is still finding his footing at the NHL level.
He saw action Thursday night in relief of Ersson during a 6-3 loss to the Penguins, allowing three goals on 16 shots. That was his first NHL appearance since November 2, when he made a spot start against Calgary.
Kolosov has been rebuilding his confidence in the AHL, and there’s no denying the raw talent is there. But potential doesn’t win you games in the middle of a losing streak - execution does. The Flyers might be tempted to give Ersson a breather and hand Kolosov the crease against the Rangers, but that decision hadn’t been made yet as of Friday morning.
The bigger picture? Things could be worse.
A long-term injury to Vladar would’ve been a gut punch to a team already struggling to keep its head above water. Instead, it’s a manageable situation - one that gives the Flyers a chance to evaluate Kolosov in meaningful minutes without throwing the season into chaos.
Still, the margin for error is razor-thin. The Flyers came into this season hoping to surprise people, maybe even sneak into the playoff picture.
But identity - or the lack of one - has become a recurring theme. Are they a rebuilding team?
A playoff hopeful? Something in between?
Saturday’s game won’t answer all those questions, but it will say a lot about this group’s resilience. The Flyers need a response. Whether it’s Ersson bouncing back or Kolosov making a statement, someone in net has to step up - and fast.