Photo Credit: Zack Hill
The Goaltending problems that have haunted this proud organization are a thing of the past. Carter Hart is the franchise netminder, and Flyers have a promising young netminder Samuel Ersson blooming before our eyes. Coupled with Alexei Kolosov on the horizon, and drafting two stud netminders in Carson Bjarnason and Yegor Zavragin at the 2023 NHL Draft.
Ersson was masterful in his final season for Brynas, in Sweden, well posting a 2.96 GAA, and a .911 Save Percentage in 42 games. His numbers do not do him Justice, but he was phenomenal for Brynas. He opened some eyes last season, “I’m feeling good,” Ersson said at Developmental Camp. “I had skated just now and had another skate yesterday. My body’s feeling good, feeling positive, and making the right strides.”
“It will take a little time,” Ersson said back at training camp. “Still have a ways to go until training camp. I haven’t been on ice for much time, so it will take some time on the ice to get to really get to 100%. I will say these last couple of skates have been positive and I felt better than maybe I thought I would. Just keep on working and getting more reps out on the ice. I’ll get back in no time.”
That was then, this is now. Fresh off his first NHL shutout and great season with the Flyers. Ersson has earned himself a new two-year contract, worth $2.9 million ($1.45 million AAV). He looked smooth, calm, cool and collected in 2022-23. Ersson is an agile netminder that can cover ground quickly. Ersson moves post to post laterally well, and has a good glove hand.
The former Vasteras IK product in Ersson appears to a confident one after his first 12 stints in the NHL. He was 6-3, with a 3.07 GAA, and a .899 Save Percentage to start his NHL career. Ersson is agile, and really moved well laterally from post to post. He has a good glove hand, as he snares pucks out of mid air. For his efforts, Ersson earned a 2.00 GAA, and a .930 Save Percentage in his last three starts, and he led the Flyers to a sweep of the California road trip for the first time in franchise history.
This was an unlikely role given to him, with the sickness to Felix Sandström, but he seemed to relish his new role with the Flyers. Ersson really turned some heads in a good way for the Flyers proud faithful, and took this backup goaltending spot by the bullhorns for a short period of time. However, John Tortorella seemed to favor Ersson over Sandström when Felix came back from injury.
Why did Ersson re-sign before camp begins?
- He won over John Tortorella
- The Flyers believe heavily in his abilities
- He will be the backup to Carter Hart in the future. Ersson wasn’t set to become an Restricted Free Agency (RFA) until the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.
- This was in case the Flyers have trouble re-signing Carter Hart following the 2023-24 season. Hart is arbitration eligible, but the Flyers cannot bank on his services unless he absolutely wants to play with the Flyers long-term. I’m not saying Hart doesn’t want to play with the Flyers, please don’t get my words misconstrued, but this is assurance in case they struggle to re-sign him. The Flyers value Hart, but this is also a business.
It will be interesting to see what transpires this coming season, but the Flyers do have some questions to answer at the conclusion of the season. It will be interesting, but stay with us for clarity.
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