The Flyers kept the momentum rolling on July 1, locking up two more pieces of their core after a day that already included the signing of Noel Acciari.
First came Dan Vladar, who officially agreed to a five-year extension with an annual average value of $5.5 million. The move puts the 29-year-old in line to remain Philadelphia’s No. 1 goalie after a season that changed the conversation around him fast.
Vladar arrived in Philadelphia and delivered a breakout year, earning team MVP honors and becoming a major reason the Flyers reached the playoffs for the first time since the COVID season. He finished the regular season with a .906 save percentage, which ranked sixth in the NHL, then lifted that number to .922 in the playoffs. A career backup no longer looks like a stopgap - the Flyers are handing him the crease.
“ From the moment Dan arrived in Philadelphia, he exceeded our expectations,” said General Manager Daniel Briere, via a release from the Flyers. “He earned this contract extension by the way he competed every time he stepped in net.
Beyond his play on the ice, he was an exceptional addition to our locker room becoming a big leader and positive force for our group. He’s a valued teammate who really gained the trust and respect of his teammates and coaching staff right from the get go.”
The Flyers also announced an eight-year extension for Tyson Foerster at $7.1 million per year. Foerster played 29 games this past season after undergoing arm surgery in December. At the time of the injury, the expectation was that he would be out for the rest of the year, but he returned sooner than expected and got back into the lineup for the playoffs.
With those deals now in place, the Flyers still have more going on around them. There’s buzz about a possible reunion with Claude Giroux, who is currently a UFA, and other names are being linked to Philadelphia as well.
It’s shaping up to be a very active few days for the Flyers.
In Other News...
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Kyle Schwarber Is Forcing His Way Into The NL MVP Debate
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Schwarbers case is starting to look familiar for award voters, too. He was the NL MVP runner-up a year ago, and with the Phillies back in contention, he is once again putting himself in that conversation as one of the leagues most impactful hitters. The longer he keeps producing at this level, the harder it gets to treat the debate as anything other than a legitimate one. [Read more 🡒]