Building A Philadelphia Flyers Team With Tri-State Area Players

Finding a goaltender is hard because there's only one who grew up in Pennsylvania and one who lived in New Jersey. The PA native has had a much more extensive career but grew up in Pittsburgh. The NJ native did play for the Flyers for a brief period but has far less experience in the league.

Even if we cheat a little more and move out to New York, there are no goaltenders actively playing from there. So it's between John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz. But why not have both? After all, you need a starter and a backup.

John Gibson - Pittsburgh, PA

Gibson has spent his entire career in Anaheim after the team drafted him in the second round in 2011. He debuted in 2013 and recorded a shutout in his NHL debut, becoming the youngest goalie to do so since 1985. Gibson also posted a shutout in his playoff debut as well, once again the youngest goaltender to do so.

Unfortunately, Gibson's talent has potentially been wasted on a team that has steadily declined. His best years came during a time in which the Ducks transitioned from a contender to a league-worst team. He has been the target of trade rumors for years as his talents are likely better suited on a contender. Not to mention Lukáš Dostál has been pushing him and even earned more starts toward the end of last season.

Gibson is 31 and is far removed from those strong seasons. However, how would his numbers look if he wasn't on a team bleeding goals against? He has plenty to offer other teams and would be a fine addition to a group on the rise.

Anthony Stolarz - Edison, NJ

Stolarz has experience playing in Philadelphia and was drafted by the team in 2012. It took him a while to debut for the team, appearing in seven games during the 2016-17 season. He only appeared in a total of 19 games before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers during the 2018-19 season.

Knee injuries cost Stolarz precious time in Philadelphia and a change of scenery was much needed. He has bounced around the league, playing for the Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers as well. Stolarz has had a chance for a slightly larger role during the last three seasons, playing in over 25 games during two of those years.

The backup to Sergei Bobrovsky, Stolarz posted a 2.03 GAA and a .925 SV% which are some of the best numbers of his career. While he only appeared in one playoff game this past year, it was enough for him to get his name on the Stanley Cup. Not a bad day's work. It was only a relief appearance but it all counts the same.