“The Next Guy In Line” A Look To The Future In Between The Flyers Pipes

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With Carter Hart now a staple between the pipes in Philadelphia, thanks to then Flyers General Manager (GM) Ron Hextall (which by coincidence most Flyers fans may argue as being the last true franchise goalie the team had), who drafted Hart in the 2016 entry draft in the 2nd round. This means that the team doesn’t need to worry about another starting Goaltender for the foreseeable future, as Hart will be here for the next 15 years, and break all Martin Brodeur’s records, right? Wrong! The best teams and GM’s always have “the next guy in line” ready for anything that might come their way. Whether it be a massive injury, a contract dispute that results in a players or team’s decision to move on etc. You must have someone waiting to jump up and fill that star’s spot when the time arises. This is especially true at the Goaltending position. As was evident in the Tampa Bay organization not to long ago when they decided to move on from Ben Bishop and felt confident, they could do so because they had Andrei Vasilevskiy primed to take over the starting job. Also evident by the Pittsburgh Penguin’s cap issues when they had to make the tough decision to leave three time Stanley Cup Champion goalie Marc-Andre Fleury obtainable for the Las Vegas Golden Knights to select him in expansion draft. They felt convinced they could do that to create much needed cap space because they had Matt Murray in their system. So, who might be in the system for the Flyers that could be their Vasilevskiy or Murray if they ever need it?

You would think it might be the former Yale University Bulldogs standout star who was a Mike Richter Award finalist Alex Lyon, who has been in the Flyers system for some time, but he is now 27-years-old with an expiring contract, and still has yet to be able to make the jump up to the NHL to include a backup roll. For this reason, I think the team moves on from him at season’s end. Thanks to Hextall and now current Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher, the teams only problem concerning goalies is just who to bring over next.

Matej Tomek the now 22-year-old the Flyers selected in the 2015 entry draft in the 3^rd round is 6’3″ and 181 pounds. Tomek who is still unsigned is currently playing over in his home country of Slovakia where his numbers along with his confidence level have seemed to have improved as of late. Playing for the HK Dukla Trencin he posted a 2.34 Goals Against Average (GAA) with a .927% save percentage (SV%) in 32 games played (GP) this season. These numbers vastly improving from his numbers last year at the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the NCAA where he saw playing time in just five games allowing an average of 4.73 GAA with a .845 SV%. Which were still better yet then his 7.46 GAA and .692 SV% he allowed in two games played in the 2016-2017 season for the University of North Dakota. Tomek’s inability to grasp the North American game has been his ultimate demise, and therefore the team will probably look to move on from him soon.  

Then there’s goaltender Roddy Ross (a butterfly Goalie if I ever seen one), who was selected by Chuck Fletcher in last years draft in the 6^th round. Ross who is 19-years-old, 6’3″ and weighs 183 pounds is unsigned and currently playing for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Seattle Thunderbirds. Roddy gets the opportunity to amass a lot of starts. As play was halted due to the suspension with the Coronavirus, Ross played in 49 games and posted a 3.17 GAA, paired with a .908 SV%. Roddy likes to play the odds that his opponents will take low shots. Ross tends to take away the bottom of the net stretching post to post sometimes even before the shooter makes a move. Forcing that shooter to try and lift the puck where Ross is then able to swallow it up in his glove, or bats it down with his blocker making the save.

Next up would be Samuel Ersson, who the Flyers took with their 5^th round pick back in the 2018 NHL entry draft. This now 20-year-old unsigned Swede stands at 6’2″ and weighs 176 pounds. Presently playing for the Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) posting a 2.90 GAA and a .895 SV% in 35 games played. Ersson seemed to go through some growing pains playing in Sweden’s top league this season, as opposed to last year in the Allsvenskan league (a lesser league), where he achieved great success with a 1.95 GAA and a .933 SV% in 36 GP. Ersson is the type of goalie that likes to challenge his shooters. You can often find him playing at the top of his crease cutting the shooters angles down. He pairs that with quick reactions after they shoot, which then allows him to be in a position to absorb the puck up in his equipment. A reason why Samuel’s numbers were down this season might have been the play of Bryans IF (his team). Stuck in a defensive scheme that does not bode well for his style, Ersson will frequently find himself with an opposing player standing in front of him, blocking his view of the puck. Samuel will find refuge in the North American style of play (clearing the trash out in front of the net) when he brings his talents state side.

A fellow Swede that you might be more aware of is Felix Sandstrom, the 23-year-old who played this season for the Reading Royals the Flyers East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliate. Sandstrom is now signed through the 2020-2021 season, after being drafted in 2015 draft in the 3^rd round. He now stands at a height of 6’2″ and weighs 192 pounds. Sandstrom made the trek over from the SHL this season after a phenomenal year for the HV71. Felix seemed to struggle at times; the smaller size of the NHL regulation ice may have had something to do with it, or it could have been the outstanding play of fellow Flyers prospect and Royal Kirill Ustimenko, which only allowed Sandstrom to play in just 25 games this season. Something Felix is surely not used to. Felix allowed a 3.27 GAA, with a .885 SV%, while playing for the Royals this year. Once thought to be the guy who would battle Hart for the Flyers net, this prospect has faltered just a bit. Sandstrom is a Goalie that regularly will find himself in a butterfly position. While doing so he manages to stand very tall while down in the butterfly. Not giving up the top of the net at all. Also, Sandstrom possess a swift post to post movement. Where some shooters may think they have Felix beat after a nice cross ice pass from their teammates Felix somehow will find a way to kick a leg pad out there just in time to save the puck from crossing the goal line. Look for Sandstrom to have a bounce back year now that he knows what to expect from the North American style game.

Moving on now from the Swedes we now head to Russia where we find Flyers goaltending prospect Ivan Fedotov. Ivan who is now 23-years-old is who the Flyers drafted back in the 2015 NHL draft in the 7^th round. His talents have taken a while to cultivate yes, but he has all eyes on him now. It may be because of his towering presence in the net at 6’8″ and weighs 203 pounds, or his raw skill set he is ever honing now in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) Russia’s top league (and arguably the top league in the world outside the NHL). Whatever the case may be, Ivan is averaging a stellar 2.10 GAA and a .931 SV% in 32 GP this year for the Traktor Chelyabinsk. Fedotov is the most intriguing Goaltending prospect in the Flyers system right now! Thus, being who the Flyers should choose as the next guardian of the crease to sign to an entry-level deal.

Saving the best for last is fellow Russian/Belarus native Kirill Ustimenko who is just 21-years-old, stands 6’3″ and weighs 187 pounds. Kirill was acquired in the 2017 NHL entry draft in the 3^rd round and is signed through the 2021-2022 season. His play this season in the ECHL for the Royals lead him to be a fan favorite, helping to bringing Readings attendance records to an all time high. In just 31 games played, he posted a 2.40 GAA with a .919 SV%. Fletcher being the clever GM that he is, decided to deal Phantoms Goalie Jean-Francois Berube to the New York Rangers in order to make room on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms the teams American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, so not to stunt the growth of Ustimenko. Due to the sudden halt to the season (thank you Coronavirus) Kirill only managed to play just five games in the AHL, while posting a 3.84 GAA, with a .899 SV%. Which in all reality isn’t so bad, considering the Phantoms defense has been depleted in recent years with the promotions to the NHL, which included players like Philippe Myers, Travis Sanheim, Robert Hagg, Samuel Morin, and Mark Friedman (At times). Not to fear though next year, the Flyers will look to replenish the Phantoms defense with the recent signing of prospect Wyatte Wylie and more soon to come, thus giving Ustimenko the reinforcements he so desperately needs on the back end.

Whoever decides to step up their play, and develops to be that “next guy in line” will soon join Carter Hart on the Flyers in a reserve role, hopefully pushing Carter to keep his own skills sharp. One thing is for certain, the Flyers have come a long way from the days of having prospects like goalie Cal Heeter to get excited about. Stay tuned folks, it’s about to get really interesting between the pipes!