After spending the past four seasons at the Saddledome, Dan Vladar will be tending twine in Philadelphia next winter.
The Calgary Flames will need a new backup plan after Vladar signed with the Flyers during Tuesday’s free-agent frenzy. It’s a two-year contract with an average annual value of US$3.35 million.
The Flames tried to extend the 27-year-old goaltender, but that’s more than they were willing to pay. He earned $2.2 million in what turned out to be his final campaign in Calgary.
In a career-high 30 appearances this past season, Vladar posted a 12-11-6 record with a 2.80 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. He had a strong performance for Czechia at the worlds, including a .950 save percentage.
If Vladar had returned to Calgary, he would have been cast as second-stringer behind Dustin Wolf.
In Philadelphia, he’ll push Sam Ersson for crease time.