Of any position group, it’s ironic that goaltending might genuinely be the biggest future strength of the Philadelphia Flyers. But how can that be the case if they don’t have one of the most highly regarded goaltending prospects in the NHL anywhere in their system? How does that make sense?
Well, the Flyers have several goaltenders throughout their organization who could truly make a difference in the NHL. Someday, their elite level of depth between the pipes should be their friend.
The Flyers Have Several Goaltenders with High-End Upside
In goal, the Flyers have a good amount of upside spread across several netminders. To put a number on it, there are five who have great upside and could be valuable to the team based on the strides they take. Who are they, and what could they become?
Sam Ersson
Sam Ersson, still just 24, was great at times for the Flyers. Ersson’s starts were either elite or awful with little in-between. Arguably, this is a lot better than someone who is consistently average — there is an evident upside in this case. When he wasn’t being overworked like he was at the end of the season, playing in 32 of Philadelphia’s last 38 games, he was actually pretty great. From the start of the season through Jan. 18, he had a .911 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.26 goals-against average (GAA) in 20 contests.
As a low-volume starter, Ersson was at his best — it’s probably going to stay that way. If he can start around 40-45 games for the Flyers with someone who can play a high-end backup role, that would be ideal. Having Ersson play over 80 percent of Philadelphia’s games in the second half of the season was a recipe for disaster.
Ersson provided the Flyers with consistently great goaltending in his rookie campaign when he wasn’t overworked, which is good news for his future. He won’t be the next Bernie Parent, but he can be a valuable contributor. There is a lot to like about him.
Alexei Kolosov
Alexei Kolosov, now in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, is probably the organization’s best goaltending prospect. His numbers in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) weren’t great for his league, putting up a .907 SV% and a 2.39 GAA in 47 starts, but it’s important to recognize his youth; he is just 22.
Kolosov played well in the postseason with a .925 SV% and a 2.21 GAA, so there isn’t too much to worry about. His growth is all that really matters at this stage — taking on the high-end workload that he did (tied for seventh in KHL games played) shows that he is becoming more and more capable.
What is really inspiring about Kolosov is his athleticism. He is a freakish athlete who provides more than the numbers say. With this type of skill set comes immense upside. If the young netminder truly reaches his ceiling, he could be an elite starter for the Flyers. He’ll have to spend a season or two in the AHL before he is ready for the NHL, but the wait should be worth it.
Yegor Zavragin
Yegor Zavragin is a new development for the Orange and Black. Selected in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft, he has taken some serious strides in the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), which is essentially the league below the KHL. He had a 13-1-0 record there with a .944 SV% and a 1.59 GAA in the regular season, doubling down with a .933 SV% and a 2.11 GAA in the postseason but with a 4-4-0 record.
While the VHL isn’t exactly the strongest league, Zavragin was still one of the best goaltenders available. Being one of the youngest players from the 2023 class with an August birthday, he is only 18 years old. Just a teenager, he was a brick wall more often than not.
Just for reference, let’s take a look at 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers. At age 19, he had a .943 SV% in eight games. Among netminders with at least 10 games played in a VHL career, he is the only one to have a better historical SV% (.951) than Zavragin.
Signing a three-year deal in the KHL in early May, Zavragin can prove whether or not his numbers are legitimate very soon depending on if he can win a roster spot. Quietly, there is a ton of upside here.
Carson Bjarnason
Carson Bjarnason is probably a step below the two prospects just mentioned, but there is a path to him becoming a successful NHL goaltender. In a Western Hockey League (WHL) that is filled with offensive talent, he put up a very solid .907 SV% in 46 games in 2023-24. Among age-18 netminders with at least 20 games played in the history of the league, this is in the 81st percentile. It’s even ahead of 2014-15 Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy winner Carey Price, who put up a .906 SV% in 55 games back in 2005-06.
Bjarnason plays for a pretty average Brandon Wheat Kings team, so it’s not like he was relying on the efforts of his club. He’s just 18, so his future will have to be monitored closely to see how he develops. His numbers might not seem elite, but he has a serious chance to be valuable to the Orange and Black.
Ivan Fedotov
Ivan Fedotov is by far the oldest of the goaltenders listed at 27, but also the most interesting. From 2020-2022, he looked like a gem for the Orange and Black. He put up great KHL numbers and coupled his massive 6-foot-7 height with good athleticism. He was a prime candidate to be a Flyer in 2022-23.
Then, Fedotov was called in for Russian military service prior to that season. He served his time but missed a full season of hockey. His numbers weren’t awful in 2023-24 but definitely weren’t up to his standard (.914 SV%). As soon as his season ended, the Flyers got his KHL contract to end early so he could come to the NHL in late March. He played disastrously in net over three games with a .811 SV%, but it’s too small of a sample size to judge.
Related: Flyers’ Ivan Fedotov Has a Lot to Prove in 2024-25
If Fedotov can reach his ceiling, he could be the high-end backup the Flyers are looking for. Perhaps, he might even be better than that. He is truly a hit-or-miss player but has two seasons at a $3.275 million cap hit to prove he is worth the investment.
Could the Flyers Use a Bruins-like Approach?
The Vancouver Canucks in the early 2010s with Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider had impeccable goaltending. They would each start a solid chunk of games, and neither of them tired out. Over the past few seasons, the Boston Bruins have done the exact same thing with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.
The major reason for Boston’s incredible 163-58-25 record since 2021-22 is simple: they split starts between two high-end goaltenders. Since that season began, Ullmark has 126 starts, while Swayman has 115. Amazingly, neither of the two matched Ersson’s start total in 2023-24 (49) in any season despite Ullmark winning the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23.
The Bruins value rest for their goaltenders, and they get results because of it. Ullmark and Swayman aren’t the most talented goaltenders in the league, but Boston’s system allows them to play like they are. It might not be to the same effect, but the Flyers could be eyeing this type of strategy.
Philadelphia doesn’t have one goaltender who is clearly above the rest. Every single one of them could have what it takes to be an NHL starter, which is a very unique situation that only Philadelphia is dealing with. If just two of them reach their ceiling or close to it, a shared net might be the Flyers’ ticket to success. It could give them a serious advantage over their competition down the line.
The Flyers’ situation in the net is something that is going to need time to develop, but they are in a favorable spot as it stands. Frankly, this is the best their future has looked in goal for a while. They might not have the best prospect per se, but they have a bunch who could emerge as top-end threats. Instead of banking on one goaltender to be a superstar, it seems that they are banking on two out of five of them to make a big difference; it just might work.