Calgary Flames Fans Didn't Expect To See This Version Of Dan Vladar

Between 2021 and 2025, Dan Vladar served as the primary backup for the Calgary Flames behind Jacob Markstrom and Dustin Wolf, and with the team handing the future over to Wolf, it became clear that Vladar was never going to get a long-term shot as the Flames starter. While many hoped that he would stay in Calgary as the backup to the young star, Vladar took a chance on himself and headed to free agency last summer, inking a two-year, $6.7 million deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.

While his numbers in Calgary were good, may called out the Flyers for handing out that type of contract to a career backup in hopes that he would take his game to the next level, but clearly, it's now paying off. In 52 games during the regular season, Vladar posted a career best save percentage of .906 along with an incredible 2.42 GAA, leading the team back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite all of the change the franchise has gone through in recent times.

Then, the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrived, and on Wednesday night, Vladar got the chance to celebrate a first-round victory as the Flyers overcame the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime of a Game 6 thriller to advance to the second round, an opportunity he never would have gotten in Calgary.

However, he wasn't just a passenger in that game, as Vladar stopped all 42 shots that he saw in the game, leading the Flyers into a matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes on the back of an incredible shutout performance.

On paper, handing out a $3.35 million AAV deal to a career backup usually isn't a good idea, but as the season went on, Vladar proved that he was more than worth that value, finishing their series with the Penguins by posting two shutouts, a 1.61 GAA and a .937 save percentage.

For most in Calgary, it's fantastic to watch a former Flame and a very well respected and loved player go out and do this and prove so many wrong, but last summer, there were many that called out the deal the Flyers handed out. Ultimately, this is a version of Vladar that fans knew he could be over short bursts, but this season, he has shown just how good he can be as a full-time starter, and with a matchup against Carolina looming, he has the chance to solidify himself as a star in Philadelphia for years to come.

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