The Philadelphia Flyers took another tough hit Thursday night-not just on the scoreboard, but in the crease.
Starting goaltender Samuel Ersson exited the game against the Boston Bruins after the second period due to a lower-body injury, leaving the Flyers to turn to backup Dan Vladar for the final 20 minutes at TD Garden. The team confirmed Ersson’s injury shortly after the third period began.
Before leaving the game, Ersson had a rough outing. He gave up five goals on 20 shots, and the Bruins carried a 5-2 lead into the third. The Flyers couldn’t mount a comeback and dropped the game 6-3, extending their losing streak to three games.
Ersson’s night adds another layer of concern to an already rocky stretch for the Flyers. Through 24 appearances this season, the 26-year-old netminder holds an 8-10-5 record with a .856 save percentage.
Those numbers are a step back from what the Flyers had hoped for, especially considering Ersson is signed through the 2025-26 season with a $1.45 million cap hit. At 6-foot-3, he’s got the frame teams look for in a modern NHL goalie, but consistency has been elusive this year.
Originally a fifth-round pick (No. 143 overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft, Ersson developed through the Brynäs IF system in Sweden before making his NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. Since then, he’s appeared in 134 career games with the Flyers, posting a 59-49-17 record, seven shutouts, and an .883 save percentage. He also represented Sweden at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship and more recently at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, a sign of the international pedigree he brings to the table.
But right now, the Flyers need more than pedigree-they need points. Thursday’s loss leaves them eight points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 24-20-9 record through 53 games.
Their -13 goal differential underscores the challenges they’ve faced at both ends of the ice, and the timing couldn’t be worse. With just three games left before the Olympic break, the Flyers are running out of time to find their footing.
Whether Ersson will be available for the Flyers’ next game on Jan. 31 against the Los Angeles Kings remains uncertain. If he’s sidelined, the pressure shifts to Vladar or potentially another call-up to help stabilize the crease. Either way, Philadelphia’s goaltending situation just became one of the key storylines to watch as the team tries to claw its way back into the playoff picture.