Philadelphia Flyers
Goaltending May Cost Flyers a Spot in NHL Playoffs
Merely two months ago, goaltending was considered a position of strength for the Philadelphia Flyers. Now, the situation between the pipes could end up costing them a spot in the NHL playoffs.
The Flyers have 10 games remaining on their schedule, including a back-to-back away from home on April 5 & 6. In all likelihood, the backup goaltender is going to have to play at least one more game this regular season.
Felix Sandstrom, who assumed that responsibility in recent weeks, inspired zero confidence after allowing three clunker goals on 14 shots in Sunday night’s 4-1 loss to Florida. After this loss, Sandstrom now sits at a career 4-18-4 record in 30 NHL games to go along with a paltry .880 save percentage across three seasons.
This season has been the 27-year-old’s worst by far, statistically, as he now sits at a .823 save percentage.
Cal Petersen has a .864 save percentage for the Flyers this season and has been in the AHL since getting torched for seven goals in a 7-6 loss to Pittsburgh on Feb. 25.
In short, the Flyers are between a rock and a hard place.
Many had lamented Sandstrom’s start on Sunday, instead suggesting that 24-year-old incumbent Sam Ersson should have started after having already played on Saturday.
The truth is that Ersson, too, is not impervious to having a bad game. The only difference is that his bad games are far and few between.
If the Flyers run Ersson into the ground in order to make the playoffs, they’ll assuredly get bounced in four games. You simply cannot succeed in the postseason in today’s NHL with goaltenders who are either tired, ice-cold, or both.
And then there’s actually making the playoffs.
The Washington Capitals are two points behind the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division with two games in hand. If Washington overtakes the Flyers, Philadelphia will drop to the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
From there, the Detroit Red Wings are three points behind the Flyers with one game in hand. With so little separating the three teams, the Flyers could find themselves on the short end of the stick rather quickly.
Between Ersson, Sandstrom, and Petersen, if the Flyers can’t get their goaltending straightened out for this home stretch, they will certainly drop meaningful games with a playoff spot on the line.
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Well the Flyers haven’t had a great track record of understanding the goaltending position ergo Danny’s reluctance to get an ample backup and was more interested in dumping Walker for a future draft pick and gobbling up capspace for his trading partners. Kicking the can down the road.
I am tempted to agree, but I think there was some competition for goalies at the TDL. The only thing Hextall was ever right about is that players are expensive on the TDL. You end up overpaying for them because teams know the buyers are in a tough spot with a need. Devils were willing to give up assets to acquire them. Briere stated earlier in his press conferences that he wasn’t going to give up picks to make a playoff push. He sort of stuck to that. It can be argued he gave up a 4th to get Erickson. Initially I didn’t like that deal, but with all of the other injuries, it turned out to be necessary to avoid a disaster. They could very well have had a meltdown in the stretch run. It is close to that already – they have a losing record in the last 10 games, and a lot of it is due to Hart and the injuries. When they pick up a backup, it will probably be in free agency, where they don’t have to lose a pick. They keep reminding us they’re doing this for the future, but is tough for us fans when the remaining roster is ever so close to making some noise. Go Flyers !
Goaltending will not cost them a playoff spot. Mr 4-18-4 will play one last game as a Flyer , probably against the Blue Jackets as the back end of the B2B that’s left.
The Capitals have 12 games left, with only 4 against non playoff teams. Their finale is at the Wells Fargo and their other 7 are a home and home versus Detroit and also against 5 eastern conference playoff teams.
The Flyers have 10, not 9 games left. Two versus the Rangers, 7 against non playoff teams and the finale at home vs the Caps. The Flyers should hold on for the third spot, playing the Canes in the first round and the rookie goalie will allow Washington to sneak in as the 8 seed.
I don’t understand all this talk about burning goaltenders out. Isn’t the record for consecutive games by a goalie like 512?? I just checked Parents game log from 73-74. He played 73 games including 19 on the back end of back to back games. Just play Errson every game the rest of the year.
That was 50 years ago
It is much harder for a goaltender today. In Parent’s era, the game was more “north-south”. Today, it is more cross ice, with passes across that require the goalie to move laterally much more often. Plus, Parent was a “stand-up” goalie, like most in that era. Today, goalies are up and down constantly. These factors take alot out of a goalie and make practically impossible to play as many games as Parent did in 73-74.
Is it too late to try to Alexei Kolosov here….come on Danny B,
…..Alexei was hot this year but could be a bit rusty since it has been over two weeks since his last game. His play-off record earlier this month….6 games, GA Ave.2.21……925 Save %.
Nope. He will play for the Phantoms. The Flyers could only bring him up in an emergency situation since they have used all of their call ups, between Attard, Ginning, Lyksell and Mr.4-18-4.
At the beginning of the year, I was trying to remember the last time I felt so confident with a goalie tandem like Hart and Ersson, Well, reality set in. Let’s just pray that Ersson stays healthy. It will be important for him (and the team) to get a taste of the playoffs.
I agree with the other remarks. DB picked up Johnson to plug a hole in defense to help with a run. We know it is a two goalie league. Danny has had a strong year but this was a head scratcher.