Philadelphia Flyers' Dan Vladar Uncertain For Game 4
The only thing standing between them and that moment is a question about their most important player.
Goaltender Dan Vladar did not practice Thursday after suffering an apparent right arm injury late in the third period of Wednesday's 5-2 Game 3 victory, when Penguins forward Bryan Rust crashed into him in the crease and pulled the blocker off his hand.
Vladar was seen flexing his right arm and hand while trainer Tommy Alva attended to him.
He stayed in the game, finished the win, and did not speak with the media afterward because he was receiving treatment.
Head coach Rick Tocchet addressed his status at Thursday's practice: "It's more of a maintenance day," Tocchet said. "He was probably going to be off anyway, but he is a little banged up. He feels better today. That's basically all the information I have."
The Flyers are off Friday, which means Vladar gets two full days of rest before Saturday's Game 4 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
His final status should become clearer at morning skate Saturday.
What Vladar Has Meant to This Series
The stakes around his availability are enormous.
Vladar has been the best player in this series and one of the best stories of the entire Flyers season.
A journeyman who spent years bouncing between organizations before landing in Philadelphia this past summer, he went 29-14-7 in the regular season with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage, won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team's MVP, and represented Czechia at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
In the playoffs, he has been even better.
Rick Tocchet on Dan Vladar:
— Jamey Baskow (@JameyBaskow) April 23, 2026
"He’s banged up. We’ll see how he is tomorrow. I don’t know at this moment how bad it is.” #Flyers
Through three games against Pittsburgh he carries a 1.33 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage, including a shutout in Game 2.
"He's been our best player all year," defenseman Nick Seeler said after Game 3. "And he was great tonight."
The Ersson Question
If Vladar cannot go Saturday, 26-year-old Samuel Ersson would start in his place.
Ersson was the Flyers' number one goaltender for the two seasons before Vladar arrived, and his 2025-26 regular season was a difficult one, posting an .870 save percentage in 33 appearances, the lowest mark among any goalie with at least 25 games played this year.
However, he was outstanding after the Olympic break, going 6-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage across nine appearances to close the regular season.
Tocchet did not hesitate when asked about his confidence in Ersson as a contingency option.
"I'm not really worried if he had to play," Tocchet said. "He's locked in."
Tocchet says Dan Vladar's absence is more of a maintenance day. He was going to have today off anyway. But Tocchet acknowledges he's banged up. Says Vladar does feel better today, though.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) April 23, 2026
Captain Sean Couturier echoed that sentiment.
"He has been great down the stretch, won us some big games," Couturier said. "Whoever's in net, we feel comfortable playing in front of him. I'm sure Dan will be all right, though."
Ersson is set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer on a $1.6 million salary, making him a legitimate non-tender candidate depending on how the Flyers choose to reshape their goaltending situation.
A playoff start under the lights in a potential sweep game would be the best possible audition he could ask for heading into that uncertainty.
The Penguins Are Still Listening
Stuart Skinner, meanwhile, has given Pittsburgh almost nothing to work with.
He carries a 3.08 goals-against average and an .873 save percentage through three games while absorbing derisive chants from the Philadelphia crowd.
Sidney Crosby also has yet to score a goal in the series.
Skinner drew on his experience being part of the Edmonton team that came back from a 3-0 deficit against Florida in 2024 when asked if the Penguins still believed.
"When you go down 3-0, what really helped me in my experience was it kind of just frees you up," Skinner said. "You don't really have anything to lose."
If Vladar cannot play Saturday, that is the opening Pittsburgh has been waiting for.
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
