Surprise, the Flyers have problems with their goaltending. It's an age-old issue that has plagued this team for years on end. This year was particularly bad. So bad that Danny Briere made it a point in his end-of-season press conference to say that he would not hesitate to upgrade the position if it made sense. They cannot return with the same group they had this past season.
Sam Ersson is still their guy, but he has shown that he may not be capable of being a 50+ starter in the NHL. So he needs a reliable backup that can give the Flyers quality starts every once in a while. Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov showed that they haven't been able to consistently be the one to do that.
Carson Bjarnason is one of the next in line, but he is going to need at least a year of professional seasoning in the AHL. He should get plenty of that with the Phantoms next year, as he is likely to be their number one. The most exciting name in the pipeline is Yegor Zavragin. However, he has a contract in the KHL for another two seasons. There isn't much else around that could give the Flyers immediate help.
As for the free agent market, it isn't a great one for goaltenders. Most of the good options have been locked into long-term deals. Maybe GM's around the league have seen what the group looks like and would rather keep what they have going.
The Flyers aren't going to lock up any of these options since they have prospects on the way. Anyone they sign this offseason will likely be in the one or two-year range. And it's not likely that they'll want to break the bank too much. The rising cap helps, but you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket when you have other players to sign.
Frederick Andersen
Andersen is by far the best option on the market. But he carries a considerable amount of risk. Due to various health issues, he has only appeared in 22 games this season and 39 combined in the last two. He's coming off a contract that paid him an AAV of 3.85M.
When healthy, Andersen's numbers would be better than what the Flyers have gotten lately. He's just below a .900 save percentage this year and has only fallen behind that number twice in his entire career. His goals against average has never been above a 3.00. Andersen is also good for a few shutouts a year.
He shouldn't cost much due to his medical history, so the Flyers could get him for under 3M if he were willing to come to Philadelphia. Since he is likely at the back end of his career, he may want to stay with a contending team. If the Flyers could convince him to come, they may get a steal if he can stay healthy.
Jake Allen
If you're looking for a goaltender who has accepted his role as a backup and gives you more than that at times, Allen could be your guy. He's 34 and still has some good play under his belt. He's an experienced goaltender and could be a strong mentor to Ersson.
Allen has averaged anywhere from 20-40 starts during the last six seasons. His numbers have been reliable for a backup. He's coming off a 2.66 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. The latter was better than starter Jacob Markstrom. His four shutouts were tied with Markstrom as well.
Allen wouldn't have to go very far if he were to sign with the Flyers. While his AAV may drop a bit from his last contract, the ability to remain in the area could be a selling point. His services may be coveted if teams decide that Andersen may not be worth the risk. Don't get into a bidding war, but if the price is right, Allen could end up as the better option.
Alex Lyon
The first question would be if Lyon would be willing to return to the team that first signed him as a free agent in 2016. Lyon has developed well since moving on from the Flyers. After a short stop in Carolina, Lyon broke out with the Panthers in 15 games, even starting three times in the postseason. He caught on with the Red Wings after and has been the man in charge for the last two seasons.
He has improved with a 2.81 goals against average this season, but his save percentage dipped to .896 after sitting at .904 last season. It's not a large dip, so there may not be much to be worried about. The experience isn't there, so Briere may not want to bring in another goaltender who hasn't been around long.
Lyon wouldn't break the bank in the slightest, coming off a 900K deal. He's likely to be one of the cheapest options available. His ceiling might be higher than some of the other options available. But it all comes back to whether or not he remembers his time in Philadelphia fondly.
Eric Comrie
Behind Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg, it's hard to get playing time. Still, Comrie appeared in a career-high 20 games with the Jets. He put up a 2.39 goals against average and a .914 save percentage, the former was his best in the NHL.
This was his third stint with the Jets, though he had only appeared in five combined games when he first debuted. He had returned in 2021-22 before coming back this season. It's not a surprise his best years have both come with the Jets. Otherwise, the rest of his career hasn't looked the greatest. Though he has only appeared in 77 career games.
Comrie could be looking for an opportunity to play more games. He would have the best numbers on the Flyers, but he also played behind one of the best teams in the NHL this season. Would he have the same kind of luck behind a weaker team? He wouldn't cost much, coming off an 825K deal. His career numbers may not inspire Briere all too much, though.
Alexandar Georgiev
I know what you're thinking. Georgiev has had a few rough seasons lately, so why would the Flyers want to bring him in if they are trying to improve? Because reclamation projects are no stranger to this team. They've done it numerous times and have had decent results. Georgiev is a year removed from being the starter in Colorado before he was shipped off to San Jose in a goaltending shakeup.
He posted a nearly identical save percentage between the Sharks and Avalanche, while his 3.88 goals against average with the former was worse. His numbers have declined since 2022-23, still the best season of his career. He did win 78 games between 2022-24, but Colorado is a much stronger team.
This one might be a tough sell to Flyers fans, and probably won't be one of Briere's first options unless he fails elsewhere. He could be a decent option behind Ersson and, like Andersen and Allen, would be a veteran to lean on. The pressure to win wouldn't be as high because the Flyers aren't ready to contend yet. If Briere is desperate to make a change and runs out of options, Georgiev could get a short look. That is, if he's willing to take a cut from his 3.4M AAV.
No matter the option Briere decides, he needs to find a way to upgrade the goaltending position. It is one area that has hurt the Flyers, especially this season. If they want to start turning things around, they need to be able to trust whoever is in the net.