One goal doesn’t define the entire playoff series, just as one quote doesn’t define a single player. However, this one quote is one of many that made Philadelphia fall in love with goaltender Vladar. He is extremely authentic and vulnerable to the media and to the fans, and he makes mistakes seem more human, which they are.
"“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.” "
These words came from Dan Vladar reflecting on the goal that just missed his glove in the Flyers' 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round of playoffs last season. In a city like Philadelphia, the locals will embrace players like Vladar with open arms due to his authenticity, grit, and accountability.
Who is to blame for the Flyers' early-season slump?
To open up the 2026 season, the Flyers were off to a rocky start, to put things lightly. With a home opener against the rivalled Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flyers ducked out of there with a 7-0 loss hanging over their heads.
Yet, a scoreboard doesn’t tell the full story. Vladar started the season with an upper-body injury from a preseason game. Even though Vladar has been cleared, injuries can create anxiety and self-doubt for any athlete, and it’s always important to take recovery seriously.
In addition to Vladar, the Flyers have also acquired goaltender Joseph Woll from Toronto, and both players have been getting net time. With Tocchet making this call to rotate the goaltenders, this could create more chaos for the Flyers' last line of defense.
Goaltending requires a serious amount of mental strength and conditioning. Goaltenders will feel most confident when they are trusted and supported. The Flyers pride themselves on working together as a family, trusting one another and overcoming adversity together. With the head coach being so quick to swap out goalies, it doesn’t show a strong allegiance to either player.
Woll vs. Vladar
Both goalies have played 9 games each. Although Woll has the slight upper hand with a .893 save percentage to Vladar’s .883; Vladar’s save percentage over his last 5 appearances is .893. More importantly, Vladar has a record of 3-4-2, as Woll has 1-6-2. What will the Flyers continue to look for to determine their starter?
The Flyers are looking to strengthen their family unit, and that starts with focusing on “we” instead of "me." Vladar is the epitome of a team-first player. He shared, “End of the day, it doesn’t matter. We lost.” When asked about his personal performance against Tampa Bay. He also emphasized the team dynamic and took accountability with, “We’re the backbone of the team, so we’ve got to be better.” In comparison, Woll shares, “I think I’ve proven that I can step in and be the guy in my career.” When asked about competing for the starting goal-tender position.
Vladar always emphasizes what the game means to the city and how he does everything for the fans. Woll is finding focus on improving his personal game. Neither player is right or wrong, but the Philadelphian Pack needs someone to protect the crease before themselves.
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