Should Flyers Consider Trade for Unheralded Devils Goalie Prospect?

The Philadelphia Flyers may have temporarily patched up their goalie issues for now, but even GM Danny Briere admitted that won't always be the case.

Assuming the Flyers are rolling with Dan Vladar and Sam Ersson as their tandem in the 2025-26 season, Ivan Fedotov will join prospect Carson Bjarnason and, perhaps, Aleksei Kolosov in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Of the five, though, Vladar and Bjarnason are the only ones signed beyond this season, and Bjarnason is still a teenager.

Given how the last year has gone, it's safe to assume neither Fedotov nor Kolosov have futures in the NHL with Philadelphia, so there's room for opporunity here.

One goalie in need of an opportunity of his own is Nico Daws, who plays up the turnpike for the Metropolitan Division rival New Jersey Devils.

But, why would the Flyers want a third goalie? And why would the Devils trade away a 24-year-old prospect?

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Briere has already said what we're all thinking: the Flyers are, more than likely, going to make use of a third goaltender at some point this season, whether it be due to injury or a dip in performance.

Vladar, 27, has never started 30 games in an NHL season before. While Ersson has, he's had to grapple with injuries and a workload he hasn't yet proven capable of handling.

And, if Briere and the Flyers are out on Fedotov and Kolosov, why give them the NHL reps?

This is where an option like Daws makes some sense.

The Devils are already set in goal for the foreseeable future after re-signing Jake Allen, Jacob Markstrom's backup, this summer.

Daws, a former third-round pick, is no longer waivers-exempt, meaning the Devils will likely lose him for free if he doesn't make the NHL roster or get traded before the season starts.

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The Munich-born netminder already has 52 games of NHL experience, posting a 22-23-1 record, a 2.98 GAA, a .898 save percentage, and one shutout while making 47 starts.

Daws saw his most extensive NHL stints come in the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons, when the Devils struggled badly with injuries, health, and level of play at the goalie position.

When the Devils are good, though? It's a different story, albeit in a small sample size.

Last season, when Markstrom went down with a knee injury, Daws filled in behind Allen, playing in six games and starting four.

Across those games, the Devils goalie prospect went 3-1-0 with a jaw-dropping 1.60 GAA and a .939 save percentage while earning his first NHL shutout with a 29-save outing against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 23.

And, who can forget when Daws made 45 saves in a 6-3 takedown of the Flyers in the Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium just over a year ago? As an aside, those 45 saves are an outdoor game record.

Aside from Ersson, the Flyers lack options for an immediate, long-term solution at the goalie position. Bjarnason and Egor Zavragin are still a few years away, while it's unlikely Vladar is a late bloomer waiting to suddenly become an NHL starter.

And, if things don't work out with Daws, he's only under contract for one more year. It's better the Flyers have lots of arrows in the quiver than to have no options to try at all.

For the Flyers, players in their mid 20s are within the ideal age range to be targeting at this time, and the Devils may be forced to give up Daws one way or another.

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