Team Toyota Flyers Teammate Spotlight: Vladar & Ersson

For the duration of the Philadelphia Flyers playoff run, Hockey Hot Stove will highlight the chemistry of the Flyers players that drive the team to success. The feature is powered by our new playoff sponsor, Team Toyota.

For good reason, Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar has received the lion’s share of accolades for the team’s 98-point season and first-round playoff victory over the arch-rival Pittsburgh Penguins. Vladar was a shoo-in for the Bobby Clarke Trophy as team MVP. In the now-completed series against the Penguins, “Vladdy” posted a 1.61 goals against average and .937 save percentage. He authored a pair of shutouts including a 42-save masterpiece in the team’s clinching 1-0 overtime victory in Game Six.

Moreover, Vladar is immensely well-liked and respected by his teammates and coaches alike. He even emerged as a team leader; a relatively uncommon status for goaltenders.

“He’s such a special person,” forward Noah Cates said after Game Six. “I can’t say enough good things about him, his game, how he motivates us, how he gets us going, how he talks to us at intermission to just believe and play for each other.”

Defenseman Cam York, who scored the series winning goal, said the team’s confidence in itself starts between the pipes.

“Vladdy has been our backbone all year. When he’s that confident, that poised, it just bleeds through the room. He has been our MVP this year,” York said.

For his part, Vladar deflected credit for the first round series win — and climactic shutout — to the entire team.

“I had the belief that they are going to capitalize. So obviously I was just trying to give the guys in front of me a chance,” Vladar said after Game Six.

Flyers had two hot goalies down the stretch

Vladar’s goaltending partner, conversely, had a roller coaster 2025-26 season. Samuel Ersson struggled with inconsistency. He struggled, too, with injuries (as he often has during his career). One thing he never struggled with: forming a mutual support system with Vladar.

Sometimes, there’s an unspoken tension between a team’s goaltenders. Yes, they support one another in front of teammates and in the public eye. But there’s only one net and every goalie wants to play as much as possible.

Let’s put it this way: throughout hockey history, there have been situations where one goaltender doesn’t necessarily push the other in a positive direction. Think of it as the difference between competing to bring out the best in one another vs. competing to “beat out” the other guy.

There have been situations where both goalies want the team to win regardless but they’re not necessarily sad if the other netminder plays at a lesser level. It shows in body language, not in words.

That’s never been the case with Ersson and Vladar. Both stay positive, upbeat and fully supportive of one another.

“I just try to stay ready,” Ersson said. “When my chance to play comes up, I believe in the team in front of me. It’s my job to give us a chance to win. If Vladdy is playing, I owe it to him to do whatever I can do to support him. He does the same thing for me.”

After the Olympic break, Ersson’s game clicked in its own right. He made seven starts and two relief appearances. Meanwhile, the Swede posted a 6-1-0 record, 1.99 goals against average and .912 save percentage.

Consequently, head coach Rick Tocchet and goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh were never forced to overtax Vladar down the stretch. By contrast, the Detroit Red Wings overplayed John Gibson. The New York Islanders ran star goalie Ilya Sorokin into the ground. Both goalies, consequently, ran out of gas.

Meanwhile, when Vladar was banged up in Game Three of the Pittsburgh series, Ersson was fully prepared to enter the series if needed. He practiced as if he were starting Game Three, backed up by Aleksei Kolosov. When Vladar proved able to play, Ersson stayed at the ready. Ultimately, when the Flyers prevailed in Game Six, Ersson was every bit as happy as the rest of the team in the dressing room.

Don’t take that for granted. It’s something very important for the delicate chemistry of a hockey team.