Philadelphia just got smacked with a brutal reality check, just two games into their four-game exhibition season. Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, the guy they’re banking everything on, left Tuesday’s game against the Bruins with an apparent injury at 13:31 in the first, forcing Aleksei Kolosov into net. This is exactly what Philly didn’t need, especially with forward Denver Barkey already listed as day-to-day after Monday’s game.
What Went Down in Boston
Dude, this play was rough. Vladar had been busy, even made a sick save on Nikita Zadorov in the opening minutes. But less than a minute after that save, Boston snagged their opening goal, and that’s when everything got sketchy for Vladar. He tried to control a soft rebound, it kinda got away from him, and then Tanner Jeannot came flying in trying to tap it home. Vladar sprawled out to make the save. But another angle showed Jeannot’s skate ran right into and smacked Vladar’s arm. And get this: it’s the same arm he supposedly hyperextended in the playoffs against Pittsburgh! He didn’t miss time then, but it clearly wasn’t a good look. Vladar lost his stick, the Flyers tried to clear, he stayed on the ice, tracking the puck. But Michael Eyssimont’s shot beat him, and immediately after, Vladar bent over, trying to stretch something out, clearly in pain. He went to the bench, talked to the training staff, then just headed straight down the hallway. No word on return, but risking him in an exhibition game? Highly doubtful.
The Stakes For Philly
Honestly, an injury to Vladar is massive. He was their most valuable player from last season, 2025-26, and their entire 2026-27 success hinges on him being healthy and playing like that. A short-term injury still puts them at a huge disadvantage. Joseph Woll would likely get bumped up to the number one spot, with Kolosov or Carson Bjarnason backing him up. But if this is long-term? Man, that would absolutely crush the club. They’d either have to go out and make a trade to beef up their goalie tandem, or Woll would be asked to carry a ridiculous load for an 84-game schedule. Talk about pressure on a guy!
So now what? The Flyers have two more exhibition games to play, but all eyes are gonna be on updates for Vladar. This whole situation is just brutal for the Flyers, coming so early in the exhibition season. Every fan in Philadelphia is gonna be holding their breath waiting to hear what the severity of this arm injury is.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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