The Philadelphia Flyers are entering the 2026-27 campaign with a new backup goalie in the hope that a more steady goaltending tandem will result in more victories and a more successful season.
Joseph Woll was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, along with defenseman Simon Benoit, in a trade that saw former backup Sam Ersson and defenseman Emil Andrae head north. Ersson’s tenure through parts of four seasons as a Flyer was tumultuous, to say the least, and despite a magnificent post-Olympic showing down the stretch to help the Flyers make the playoffs, it wasn’t enough to warrant keeping him in Philadelphia.
Woll’s arrival should spell out two resolutions for the Flyers: that they have a capable #2 goalie who can consistently win games and post respectable numbers while doing so, and they have someone who can properly complement starter and reigning team MVP Dan Vladař.
Vladař’s 2025-26 season was nothing short of spectacular for both he and the Flyers. The Prague native won 29 of his 51 starts while posting a .906 SV% and 2.42 GAA, all career-bests. His playoff performance was even more revered as he recorded a .922 SV%, 2.18 GAA, and 2 shutouts as he led the Flyers past the Pittsburgh Penguins in the First Round before their elimination to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the Second Round. Vladař’s strong campaign was rewarded as he signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract extension that will kick in ahead of the 2027-28 season, locking the soon-to-be 29-year-old in as a Flyer through 2032.
Vladař is expected to maintain his role as the Flyers’ starter this upcoming season, but Woll will be looked at to alleviate some of the pressure and deliver whenever he is called upon by Rick Tocchet. Ersson’s season saw him go 14-11-5 in 29 games, but he recorded a dismal .870 SV% and 3.12 GAA in the process.
Woll’s 2025-26 season was a bit rocky as well – still not as bad as Ersson’s – but his prior track record should encourage both the Flyers and fans about what should come this season. The Dardenne Prairie, Missouri native began last season away from the Maple Leafs to attend to a family matter that kept him out of action until November, and then he suffered a lower-body injury in December. Those occurrences limited him to just 39 appearances last season for a Toronto squad that was decimated by injuries and poor team play. Star forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander missed 22 and 15 games each, respectively, while original starting goalie Anthony Stolarz only appeared in 26 games, rendering Woll as the de facto starter by the end of the season. Woll ended the year with a 15-16-7 record, .899 SV%, 3.34 GAA, and 2 shutouts, but 24 of his 38 starts were Quality Starts, per Hockey Reference.
Through parts of four seasons with the Maple Leafs prior to last year, Woll racked up a 48-27-2 record with a .910 SV%, 2.74 GAA, and 2 shutouts. Of his two full seasons in that span, his 2024-25 campaign was his best with a 27-14-1 record, .909 SV%, 2.73 GAA, and 1 shutout while again leading the team in goaltending appearances with 42. Woll also carries some valuable playoff experience. He is 6-6 in 14 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, accompanied by a .906 SV%, 2.73 GAA, and 1 shutout.
The Flyers are betting that Woll is still a solid goalie after a down season and can provide the team with a stable backup netminder for at least a couple seasons as his contract runs through 2028, and looking at his track record before last year, it could be a good bet to make. Philadelphia made a similar bet on Vladař just one offseason ago. Most people saw a goaltender who was recording simply “okay”, if not mediocre numbers as a backup in Calgary, but Daniel Brière and company saw a goaltender who was played frequently in second legs of back-to-backs and assigned tougher matchups against better teams to protect then-rookie Dustin Wolf while on a far less talented team. They believed Vladař could thrive in Philadelphia with a better team and a better system in place, and so far it’s paid off, so there’s no real reason to suggest the move for Woll won’t pay off either until we see him on the ice.
The bar may be at the floor at this point for a well-performing backup goalie after what Ersson provided for most of last season, as well as what Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov provided in the season before last. However, the bar was practically at the floor for a solid starter entering last season and Vladař surprised just about everyone. Now mixing in Woll, the Flyers may have another pleasant surprise on their hands, and they just might have themselves one of the better goaltending duos in the NHL this season if everything goes to plan.
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