The Flyers’ goaltending picture is starting to look less like a settled hierarchy and more like a real battle.
Dan Vladar has already given Philadelphia plenty to latch onto. He’s the kind of player fans tend to gravitate toward because he doesn’t hide from the moment, and he doesn’t hide from his mistakes either. After the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of last season’s playoffs, Vladar was still thinking about the goal that slipped by him.
"That goal, I watched it a lot of times, to be honest with you. I probably watched it 150 times, and I was getting more and more mad. And it’s still in me, so it’s going to be another fire driving me forward."
That kind of honesty plays in Philadelphia. Vladar comes across as authentic, accountable and willing to wear the weight that comes with being the last line of defense.
The early part of the 2026 season, though, has been messy for the Flyers as a whole. They opened with a 7-0 loss at home to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, a result that looked ugly on the scoreboard and felt even worse in the moment.
But there was more going on behind it. Vladar began the season dealing with an upper-body injury suffered in a preseason game.
He has since been cleared, but injuries can leave a mark beyond the physical side of things, and the recovery process matters.
At the same time, the Flyers brought in Joseph Woll from Toronto, and both goalies have been seeing action. That rotation has created uncertainty in net, especially with head coach Tocchet making the decision to keep alternating between them. For a position that depends so much on rhythm, confidence and trust, that kind of shuffle can make things feel even more unsettled.
Through nine games apiece, the numbers are close enough to keep the discussion alive. Woll has the edge in save percentage at .893, while Vladar sits at .883.
Over Vladar’s last five appearances, though, he’s at .893. The records tell a different story: Vladar is 3-4-2, while Woll is 1-6-2.
The contrast between the two goalies also shows up in how they talk about the job. Vladar keeps bringing it back to the group.
After a game against Tampa Bay, he said, “End of the day, it doesn’t matter. We lost.”
He also added, “We’re the backbone of the team, so we’ve got to be better.”
Woll, meanwhile, has framed things more around proving himself individually. When asked about the starting job, he said, “I think I’ve proven that I can step in and be the guy in my career.”
That difference matters in a room that wants to see a “we” mentality take hold. Vladar leans into the team and the city.
Woll is focused on his own game. Neither approach is wrong, but the Flyers still need someone to own the crease and settle things down before anything else.
In Other News...
Flyers Suddenly Face A Bigger Michkov Problem Than One Loss
The Flyers late collapse against the Rangers was frustrating enough on its own, another rough night in a season that has already offered too many of them. But the bigger issue around the team is starting to feel less about one blown lead and more about how the organization handles young talent when the fit turns awkward, especially with David Jiricek drawing the kind of roster scrutiny that can quickly become a front-office decision.
Matvei Michkov has only added to the conversation. After the loss, the winger signaled his frustration with his ice time in a way that did not exactly stay behind closed doors, and it comes at a moment when the Flyers are already being measured against other teams handling of young players. Around the league, trade chatter is also swirling in other places, from Evgeni Malkins future in Pittsburgh to ongoing discussions involving Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson in Detroit, but in Philadelphia the immediate question is how long this tension can simmer before it forces a harder choice. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Fans May Be Focusing On The Wrong Michkov Concern
Matvei Michkov has already become one of the Flyers most important offensive pieces, and his usage reflects that. He is averaging 15:54 of ice time per game, which ranks sixth on the team and third among forwards when centers are removed from the comparison, and he has also been getting meaningful power-play minutes while leading the club in goals and sitting second in points.
The concern for Philadelphia is not whether Michkov can produce, because he clearly can. The bigger issue is the other side of the puck, where his giveaways have piled up and the Flyers have struggled defensively when he is on the ice, a reminder that his growing role comes with some messy stretches that the coaching staff still has to sort through. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Shake Up Top Lines As Scoring Pressure Builds
Rick Tocchet spent practice reshuffling his forward groups ahead of the Flyers matchup with the Calgary Flames, a sign the coaching staff is looking for a spark as the offense searches for more consistent rhythm. The changes put Noah Cates in the middle of a line with Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, while Christian Dvorak is set to skate with Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster, giving Philadelphia a different look at the top of the lineup.
The move comes with scoring pressure building and the need for better puck control becoming harder to ignore. Tocchet is trying to find combinations that can generate more chances and settle the group down in the offensive zone, and the next game will offer an early read on whether the new alignment can help the Flyers create more than they have lately. [Read more 🡒]