Last season was massively disappointing for the Philadelphia Flyers. The team finished tied for last in the Eastern Conference, notching 76 points alongside the Boston Bruins.
Head coach Rick Tocchet is entering his first season at the helm, and GM Daniel Briere has been busy this offseason. One move that the Flyers will likely not be making is bringing back former starting goalie Carter Hart.
Briere weighed in on Hart's status to the Athletic's Kevin Kurz, who shared the exchange on X, formerly Twitter.
“The only comment I’ll make on that is that his representative, Judd Moldaver, has reached out and kind of told us that in light of everything that happened in the last year and a half with Carter, they felt, Carter felt, that it was better for them to look for a fresh start,” Briere explained via Kurz. “That’s where it’s at, and it’s the only comment I’m going to make on that.”
Briere's take makes sense. Hart – as well as the other four players in the Hockey Canada case – is looking to get back into the NHL. The Flyers brought in former Calgary Flames netminder Dan Vladar to man the crease alongside Samuel Ersson. It wouldn't be surprising to see Tocchet use both goalies interchangeably, at least until one stands above the other. Both goaltenders are on the right side of 30, and one of them could be the long-term option. Will Vladar and Ersson prove the decision to not bring Hart back was a correct one?
Flyers look to rebound from disappointing 2024-25 season
Briere elected to move goalie Ivan Fedotov to the Columbus Blue Jackets so the Flyers would go with the Vladar/Ersson duo. The Philadelphia GM also brought in centers Trevor Zegras and Tucker Robertson to help bolster an offense that was listless at times last season. Now, it will be up to Tocchet to get the most out of his new team. If the head coach can work his magic, as he did in previous stops, then the Flyers should improve this season.
Will it be enough for a playoff spot? It's too soon to tell, as the Eastern Conference has a good amount of deep, talented teams. If Vladar and Ersson can't get the job done, some fans might clamor for Hart before it's too long. Before the Hockey Canada incident, it looked as if Hart would be the long-term solution. Will the former Philadelphia goalie find a new team before his reinstatement on December 1st?
