The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a 2024-25 season that featured historically awful goaltending from Ivan Fedotov, Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov. After the trio finished the season with a team-wide .872 save percentage, the Flyers have no choice but to make upgrades between the pipes this offseason.
Unfortunately for Flyers GM Danny Briere, one of their top free agent goalie targets is now officially off the market. Just hours before he was set to hit free agency, veteran netminder Jake Allen signed a five-year extension with the New Jersey Devils worth $1.8 million per season.
The Fourth Period had previously reported that the Flyers were one of several teams interested in pursuing Allen, who was easily the best goaltending option set to become available in free agency. The 34-year-old just played 31 games last year as the Devils’ backup, but he finished with a .908 save percentage and a 2.66 goals against average, leading what is an admittedly thin free agent goalie class in both categories.
While Allen would have been the Flyers' top target, it's understandable that they would not want to commit five years to an aging goaltender. That said, they still have a clear need to upgrade in net, and limited options with which to do so.
Jake Allen off the market as Flyers lose potential goalie option to Devils
With Allen off the market, it's back to the drawing board for the Flyers as they look to fortify their crease. As far as the remaining goalie options go, however, it's looking pretty bleak.
While they should probably aim higher than this, the Flyers could make a low-risk signing on a career backup like Dan Vladar. The Calgary Flames goalie is just 27 years old and presumably seeking an opportunity to prove that he can be a number-one goaltender – an opportunity he simply won't be afforded in Calgary after the emergence of Dustin Wolf.
Perhaps a safer signing would be 32-year-old Anton Forsberg from the Ottawa Senators. He had a .901 save percentage and a 2.72 goals against average in 30 games for the Senators for this season and could be another low-risk, short-term option for the Flyers if he is open to taking on a larger role.
Regardless of how they do it, calming the chaos in the crease should be the Flyers' number one priority when free agency opens on Tuesday. Let the frenzy begin!