The Philadelphia Flyers will be an interesting team to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They are currently eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, so there is a chance that they will be sellers.
However, at the same time, the possibility of them adding to their roster should not be ruled out. One of the Flyers’ biggest needs is another goaltender, so let’s look at three netminders who could be good fits for Philadelphia.
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Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
Jesper Wallstedt is the most notable goaltender in the rumor mill right now. At just 23 years old, he would have the potential to be a perfect long-term fit for the Flyers if they acquired him. The 2021 first-round pick has a 14-5-4 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.72 goals-against average.
However, the Minnesota Wild’s asking price for Wallstedt is undoubtedly very high, so coming up with a trade package to land him could be too tough for the Flyers. Yet, on paper, the fit looks perfect between Wallstedt and Philly.
Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs
Could the Flyers consider a reunion with Anthony Stolarz? The 32-year-old kicked off his NHL career in Philadelphia and has come up in the rumor mill this season.
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Stolarz has struggled and also has had some injury trouble this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, though. In 16 games this campaign with Toronto, he has a 7-7-1 record, a .882 save percentage, and a 3.55 goals-against average. However, he also led the NHL with a .925 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .926 save percentage last season. With this, he could be a bounce-back candidate for the Flyers to consider pursuing if the Maple Leafs end up being open to moving him.
Colten Ellis, Buffalo Sabres
Colten Ellis could be an interesting under-the-radar goalie for the Flyers to take a chance on. The Buffalo Sabres currently have three goalies on their NHL roster, and Ellis is behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon on their depth chart. With this, some questions have come up about Ellis’ long-term future in Buffalo.
If the Flyers acquired Ellis, he would give them another young option to work with for their backup role. The 25-year-old has had a decent rookie season with the Sabres, as he has a 7-4-1 record, a .896 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against in 13 games. This is after he had a 22-14-3 record and a .922 save percentage in 42 AHL games last season with the Springfield Thunderbirds.
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