Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said his level of confidence in Carter Hart is “very high” despite the 22-year-old goalie’s struggles in 2020-21.
The Flyers on Thursday signed goalie prospect Samuel Ersson to his three-year entry-level contract.
Ersson is a 21-year-old who has played the past two seasons for Brynäs IF in the SHL, Sweden's top pro league. Brynäs IF had a rough 2020-21 campaign, finishing second to last in the regular season and allowing the league's most goals (176 in 52 games).
Ersson, however, put up respectable numbers with a 2.96 goals-against average and .911 save percentage through 42 games. The Flyers' 2018 fifth-round draft pick recorded three shutouts and made the SHL's third-most saves with 1,183. In the SHL relegation round, he went 4-1-0 with a 1.30 goals-against average and .949 save percentage.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"We're excited to get Samuel under contract with the Flyers," assistant general manager Brent Flahr said in a statement released by the team. "He's steadily progressed since his draft year and has had success in junior, the SHL and at the international level. We look forward to watching his continued development as he makes the transition to North America."
Ersson should have the chance to eventually vie to be Carter Hart's future backup. He possesses good size at 6-foot-2, 176 pounds, and has more than held his own competing against men at the pro ranks over the last two seasons.
This offseason, the Flyers have a decision to make for their backup netminder spot and will peruse the free-agent market in doing so. Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon are both pending unrestricted free agents. Felix Sandstrom is a pending restricted free agent. More long term, the club also has prospects Kirill Ustimenko (signed 2017 third-round pick), Ivan Fedotov (unsigned 2015 seventh-round pick) and Matej Tomek (unsigned 2015 third-round pick) in the system.
The Flyers watch and evaluate Sweden heavily, led by European amateur scout Joakim Grundberg. Along with Ersson and Sandstrom, Oskar Lindblom, Robert Hagg, Linus Sandin (pending RFA), Olle Lycksell, Linus Hogberg, Adam Ginning, Emil Andrae and Marcus Westfalt are all Swedish products in the Flyers' organization.
NHL
Subscribe to and rate Flyers Talk
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | YouTube