97.5 The Fanatic Flyers Roundup: The Absurdity of Flyers Goaltending
The playoff race is tightening, and the Philadelphia Flyers have a familiar position of concern. The backup goaltender has struggled just in time for Ivan Fedotov to emigrate to the United States.
- Saturday 3/23: Flyers 3, Boston Bruins 2
- Sunday 3/24: Florida Panthers 4, Flyers 1
- Tuesday 3/26: New York Rangers 6, Flyers 5 (OT)
- Thursday 3/28: Montreal Canadiens 4, Flyers 1
Ivan Fedotov Joining Flyers
John Tortorella estimated on Feb. 27 that the backup goaltender would start about four or five more regular-season games.
Felix Sandstrom has started three games and made two relief appearances since. The 27-year-old has posted an .827 save percentage (SV%) that hasn’t helped the Flyers stay competitive with Sam Ersson on the bench.
Ersson will undoubtedly carry the load for the remainder of the regular season, but can he start every game? Enter Ivan Fedotov.
The Russian netminder got caught in an unfortunate situation concerning global politics in 2022 that prevented him from playing in North America. He made a comeback to professional hockey in 2023-24 after completing his required Russian military service. However, the hope that the Flyers could utilize their 2015 draft choice seemed like a lost cause.
Danny Briere has pulled off a stunner to get Ivan Fedotov into the mix. The rookie GM reached deep in his pockets for a goaltender with an unthinkably difficult path to the NHL.
Welcome to our New Era of Orange. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/aC1bEWKLvu
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 29, 2024
Fedotov caught the eye of Flyers fans during an excellent run at the 2022 Winter Olympics. He posted a .943 SV% and two shutouts to help the ROC to a silver medal. The towering 6-foot-8 goaltender played 44 games this season with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, considered the second best hockey league in the world, before they bought out his contract.
If the Flyers make the playoffs, they’d look to start Ersson every game. They play one more back-to-back during the regular season on April 5 and 6. Tortorella runs the risk of overworking Ersson, a rookie goaltender who entered 2023-24 as a projected backup with 10 NHL starts.
Tortorella has insisted that media conversations about workloads convince NHL players that they’re worn down. However, he can’t ignore the heavy reliance the Flyers have had on Ersson.
Fedotov could logically take the crease in Buffalo on Friday or in Columbus on Saturday. Goaltenders with experience in Russia or European countries need to make adjustments when they transition from international rinks to NHL surface sizes. The KHL now plays some of their games on NHL sized rinks, however. The tweak should, in theory, help Fedotov jump right into the NHL.
It’s the least predictable position in professional sports, and the Flyers have a bizarre knack for goaltending controversy.
Alexei Kolosov also completed the KHL season. The 2021 3rd-round pick hopes to join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to begin his professional career in North America.
A Patchwork Blue Line
The Philadelphia blue line looked like the team’s biggest weakness entering the 2023-24 season. Brad Shaw has helped multiple defensemen shatter expectations to build a formidable unit for a playoff contender.
The final months of the season have provided a new challenge. The Flyers dealt second-pair righty Sean Walker to the Avalanche. Rasmus Ristolainen, Nick Seeler, and Jamie Drysdale are all out of the lineup. Marc Staal proved himself as a liability on the back end, and he’s lost his regular spot in the lineup.
The patchwork defense in front of shaky goaltending has hung tough after a bad stretch. Veteran deadline acquisition Erik Johnson spoke about their improvement.
“For us, I think we’ve been real good on our breakouts keeping the puck on the strongside and finding ways to get the puck out with speed to our guys. It’s a five-man job there. It’s not only the D. It’s the forwards that are cutting under with speed and really supporting us on those plays. I think for us we’ve tried to play fast and crisp and not slow it down and use our young legs and team speed, and for that reason, I think we’ve had some success.” -Erik Johnson
The Flyers consider Drysdale and Seeler close to returning. Both defensemen skated aside from the team’s practice this week. Ristolainen’s status looks less certain.
Flyers GM Daniel Briere met with the media today in Montreal, providing updates on Nick Seeler, Jamie Drysdale, Rasmus Ristolainen and prospect Alexei Kolosov. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/WIlDklbgSS
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 28, 2024
The Hurricane of the Schedule
The Flyers played seven games against five opponents occupying the other five Eastern Conference divisional playoff spots. The superior talent on the opposite side made for their toughest stretch of the season.
John Tortorella’s squad finished 2-3-2 and held onto the third position in the Metropolitan Division. The charging Washington Capitals are right on their heels with two games at hand and a narrow point percentage advantage.
It’s no secret that the Flyers don’t have the same firepower as the NHL’s top teams. However, they were able to control the pace of play with 5-on-5 possession metrics over 50% in key categories during a seven-game stretch against Stanley Cup contenders.
They began a stretch against six teams outside of playoff position with a regulation loss in Montreal.
Looking Ahead
If a playoff race wasn’t exciting enough, Ivan Fedotov just put the Flyers right back on the front page of the NHL headlines. There’s only nine games to go before the potential return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- Saturday 3/30: vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Monday 4/1: vs. New York Islanders, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Friday 4/5: @ Buffalo Sabres, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Saturday 4/6: @ Columbus Blue Jackets, 7pm on 93.3 WMMR
Download the 97.5 The Fanatic app to hear Tim Saunders and Todd Fedoruk on the flagship radio broadcast of the Philadelphia Flyers.
History of Philadelphia Flyers Captains
Bobby Clarke (1972-79, 1982-84)
It’s hard to find any player in NHL history who embodies the identity of a franchise better than Bobby Clarke represents the Philadelphia Flyers. He helped usher in the era of the fiercest, most intimidating team that bullied their way to consecutive Stanley Cup in 1973-74 and 1974-75.
Clarke still holds franchise records in goals, assists, games played, and plus/minus. He had two stints as the captain in Philadelphia.
Dave Poulin (1984-90)
Dave Poulin wasn’t the best player in franchise history, but he played an invaluable role for the Flyers teams at the top of the NHL during the 1980s. He received votes for the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward eight times, and he won the award for the 1986-87 season.
The Flyers reached the Stanley Cup Final against Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in 1985 and 1987 during Poulin’s captaincy. He entered the franchise Hall of Fame in 2004.
Ron Sutter (1989-91)
The Sutter family remarkably sent six brothers to the NHL. Ron Sutter played 19 seasons in the league. Nine of them came with the Flyers. He played 555 games and recorded 360 points in orange and black.
Rick Tocchet (1991-92)
Rick Tocchet earned the respect of the entire hockey world as a heart and soul player in the deep playoff runs of the 1980s. The Flyers awarded the captaincy to the “Rocket” for the 1991-92 season after their success in the 1980s had waned.
They dealt him away to the Pittsburgh Penguins before the end of the season, but he returned for a second stint in 2000. His impact on multiple eras of Flyers hockey landed him in the franchise Hall of Fame.
Kevin Dineen (1993-94)
The Hartford Whalers sent Kevin Dineen to the Flyers in 1991. He became the captain for the 1992-93 season as a respected veteran during a forgettable era in Philadelphia.
Dineen played 19 seasons in the NHL and retired with 760 career points and 2,229 career penalty minutes. He has continued his life around the game as an NHL and AHL coach for over two decades.
Eric Lindros (1994-2000)
The Eric Lindros era didn’t end the way that Ed Snider and Bobby Clarke hoped it would. However, the organization has buried a bad memory of stripping his captaincy in favor of honoring the good times.
The most talented hockey player ever to wear the Flyers jersey won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP in 1995 and led the Flyers to the 1997 Stanley Cup Final. His point per game average ranks among the best in NHL history.
Eric Desjardins (1999-2001)
The Flyers handed the “C” to Eric Desjardins in response to the Lindros saga. He had previously spent time as an alternate captain with Rod Brind’Amour.
The puck-moving defenseman was the rock of the Philadelphia blue line during the memorable era of contention in the 1990s and early 2000s. He ranks toward the top of the franchise record books in most statistical categories among defensemen.
Keith Primeau (2001-06)
It took a great hockey player to make the Flyers forget about trading Rod Brind’Amour, but Keith Primeau quickly made an impression in Philadelphia. He proved himself as the team leader in the early 2000s after Lindros left a void as the top-line center.
Primeau’s goal in Game 4 of the 2000 series against the Penguins still stands as one of the best memories in Flyers history. He scored a comparably memorable goal four years later in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.
Derian Hatcher (2005-06)
The Flyers unsurprisingly made a splash after the 2004-05 lockout. Derian Hatcher spent his best years with the Dallas Stars, but he occupied the captaincy as a stopgap during his time with the Flyers. He played his final three seasons in the NHL in Philadelphia.
Hatcher hung around long enough to play in the Eastern Conference Final in 2008.
Peter Forsberg (2006-07)
The decision to trade Peter Forsberg as part of the Lindros deal is questionable with the benefit of hindsight. The crafty Swede did return to the organization in his 30s after his prime years. Forsberg struggled with injuries in Philadelphia, but he was stunningly skilled with the puck in the 100 games he played for the Flyers.
Paul Holmgren dealt Forsberg to the Predators to begin a series of moves that ultimately brought Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell to Philadelphia.
Jason Smith (2007-08)
The Flyers came back with a vengeance in 2007-08 after their worst season in franchise history. Holmgren flipped his roster upside down, and his retool included acquiring veteran Jason Smith to wear the “C” for a team that reached the Eastern Conference Final.
Smith wasn’t a star player. However, he served his purpose well enough in one season with the Flyers to earn a position in the organization after his retirement.
Mike Richards (2008-11)
An organization that stripped the “C” off one of the most publicized players in NHL history experienced another controversy just over a decade later. Mike Richards was a hard-nosed hockey player who took over the captaincy at age 23.
The Flyers hoped they found the next Bobby Clarke, and Richards played with incredible intensity as a two-way forward and a penalty killer. The Sea Isle City regular flamed out quickly in Philadelphia, however, and Holmgren dealt him and Jeff Carter away on the same day in a summer stunner in 2011.
Chris Pronger (2011-13)
Chris Pronger was one of the most intimidating players in NHL history. The 6-foot-6 defenseman captured the hearts of Flyers fans as the general of the 2010 team that reached the Stanley Cup Final. He was the obvious choice as the captain after the Richards trade.
He only played 13 more games in the NHL. An unfortunate injury ended his career too soon, and the Flyers have not truly replaced him since. Look for Pronger’s name on any list of the best defensemen in NHL history.
Claude Giroux (2012-22)
The Flyers hoped for a new era of Stanley Cup glory with Claude Giroux as the centerpiece. After they named him the captain in 2013 following the latest NHL lockout, they fell off the face of the Earth. Giroux became one of the most consistent point scorers in the NHL for a decade as the captain, and the depth behind him never gave him a chance to lead the Flyers to the Stanley Cup.
The Flyers traded Giroux in 2022 in the deal that brought Owen Tippett to Philadelphia.
Sean Couturier (2024)
The John Tortorella era began without a captain while the Flyers attempted to establish a new standard for performance on and off the ice. They named Sean Couturier their captain in 2024 during his 12th season in Philadelphia.
Couturier broke into the NHL at age 18 in 2011-12. He steadily ascended into the role of a top-line center. The peak of his career came in 2019-20 when he won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive (but really two-way) forward.
