Flyers’ Prospect Nolan Maier Proving His Worth as Goalie

When the Philadelphia Flyers signed goaltender Nolan Maier to a one-year, two-way contract, nobody expected him to play with the big club.

But at 22 years old, he’s been valuable to the organization, and there’s still some possible upside there. 

Maier is from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and spent five seasons with the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League. He put up some decent numbers. His best season was 2018-19, when he posted a .910 save percentage in 53 games. His 36 wins in the regular season were impressive for a young goalie. 

Nolan Maier came to play 👏 pic.twitter.com/37Z8RDE1b4

— x – Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 28, 2022

A career highlight occurred in 2018-19 while playing for Hockey Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He played in four games and walked away with a gold medal.  

Maier was never drafted, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a good goalie. In 2019, Central Scouting had him ranked as the 22nd-best North American goalie. Usually, goalies that are deep on the list don’t get drafted. Plenty of players slip through the cracks for one reason or another, and then over time prove themselves. That’s the path he’s currently on. 

In 2021-22, he racked up another 31 wins in Saskatoon, and as a result, totaled 120 wins in his Western Hockey League career. That’s an all-time WHL record. 

“So that’s something I hold pretty close to me,” the 6-foot, 172-pound Maier told Sammi Wismer in a recent interview.  

HISTORY!!!

The WHL’s new all-time wins leader: Nolan Maier!@BladesHockey pic.twitter.com/G0te8zuOEK

— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 9, 2022

Maier has been winning in both the ECHL with the Reading Royals and with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

I first noticed him in the Flyers’ rookie camp, and he really shined in the first game of the rookie series played against the New York Rangers in Allentown. Maier has a good glove, is athletic, and operates well in traffic around the crease. He saved 11 of 12 shots

This season, he has divided his time between Reading (12-8-3, 2.92 GAA, .892 SP) and Lehigh Valley (4-1-2, 2.64, .896). 

Goalies can be voodoo. If I were the Philadelphia Flyers, I would sign Maier to a two-year contract this time. Most likely he’s there for organizational depth, but you never know. 

Goalies do blossom late.