It has been almost 30 years since a Philadelphia Flyers goaltender has won a Vezina Trophy. That was Ron Hextall after the 1986-87 season. It’s been almost 26 years since a Flyers’ goaltender was even a nominee for the award. Roman Cechmanek finished as the runner-up to Dominik Hasek after the 2000-01 season.
It’s not as if the Flyers have the best track record with goaltenders. In total, they have had 67 goaltenders in their history. Many have only lasted a season or two. The most recent goaltender in the franchise's history to be worthy was Steve Mason. He appeared in 231 games between 2013-17. His .918 save percentage is ranked fifth, but could really be considered second among regular goaltenders.
He earned a second-place Vezina vote during his first full season in Philadelphia, where he posted a 2.50 goals against average and an impressive .917 save percentage. He was even better the next year, finishing with a 2.25 GAA and .928 SV%. He didn't receive a single vote that year. The 18-18-11 record likely had something to do with that, though
But the Flyers could have another goaltender in the Vezina conversation again. He may not win the award, but he deserves some serious consideration after his first regular season in Philadelphia.
Dan Vladar deserves Vezina consideration
Vladar came to the Flyers having never been a starter in the NHL. He hadn't been given the chance to become one and was ready for the challenge. Speaking about why he wanted to come to Philadelphia, having the chance to take the crease as his was a big reason why. And he more than proved that he was up for the challenge.
On the surface level, his .906 SV% and 2.42 GAA aren't the flashiest in the league, though the latter is third in the league amongst regular starters. But they are career-highs for Vladar. You'd have to dig deeper to find out why his numbers are more impressive than they appear. Of his 52 games this season, Vladar has only allowed three goals or more in 17 of them. One of the best goaltenders in the league, Andrei Vasilevskiy, had 23 appearances in which he allowed three or more goals in his 58 games played.
That's not to say that Vladar is on the same level as Vasilevskiy, but there are other stats where he rises above. At 5-on-5, Vladar's .926 SV% is tied with Igor Shesterkin for the best in the league amongst goaltenders who have played at least 2,000 minutes this season. His 1.80 GAA is first. And his 20.91 goals saved above expected is fourth. That's understandable because the three above him have played 100-200 more minutes at 5-on-5, but it is impressive nonetheless.
An area Vladar thrives in comes in high-danger shots. In its simplest form, shots are given values based on where they are taken on the ice. A high danger shot will typically come from inside the slot, which is where it's most likely to score a goal. Vladar ranks atop the league with an .850 save percentage at 5-on-5, though he remains first when looking at all situations. He has faced the lowest number of high danger shots, but that should be something in his favor.
Another interesting stat is that among his 52 games this season, he has posted at or above a .900 SV% in 35 outings. That's not including a game where he stopped all six shots in just under 20 minutes of a relief appearance. That is nearly 70% of his games played. And it is tied for second with Vasilevskiy and only three behind Jeremy Swayman.
The Vezina is oftentimes judged by more than who the league's GMs believe was simply the best goaltender. Most times, a player's team needs to make the playoffs. Check one. The record comes into account as well. Vladar went 29-14-7. And a goaltender typically should play more than half of their team's games. Vladar started 51 of 82 games, just over 62%.
Vladar isn't going to win the Vezina. There's a good chance that honor will go to Vasilevskiy, which would not be a bad decision. But the numbers don't lie. Vladar is one of, if not the most important, reasons the Flyers are back in the postseason. He was already named the team's MVP before their final game.
Now he deserves some league-wide recognition.
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