The Philadelphia Flyers opened NHL free agency Tuesday by signing goalie Dan Vladar, centers Christian Dvorak and Lane Pederson and defensemen Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert.

Here’s what we know and how each player is likely to fit into the Flyers’ plans for the 2025-26 season.

Who is Dan Vladar? The Flyers finally get a goalie

The Flyers inked Vladar to a two-year contract with a $3.35 million annual average value, general manager Danny Briere announced.

Vladar, 27, joins the Flyers’ organization after spending the last four seasons with the Calgary Flames. Last season in Calgary, Vladar posted a 2.80 goals against average and a .898 save percentage.

A 2015 third-round pick by the Boston Bruins, Vladar has a career .895 save percentage in 105 NHL games.

Philadelphia entered the offseason needing a netminder to partner with Samuel Ersson. Flyers’ goalies allowed 3.45 goals per game last season and had an NHL-worst .879 save percentage. Vladar’s signing signals that Ivan Fedotov, who would have to clear waivers, will likely spend time in the AHL in 2025-26. Aleksei Kolosov, 23, remains under contract.

Where does Christian Dvorak fit into the Flyers’ lineup?

Dvorak signed a one-year, $5.4 million deal with the orange and black, Briere announced.

The 29-year-old center comes to Philadelphia with a previous connection to new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet. Dvorak played four seasons under Tocchet for the then-Arizona Coyotes from 2017-18 until 2020-21.

Last season, Dvorak scored 12 goals and 33 points in 82 games for the Montreal Canadiens. He averaged over two minutes per game on the penalty kill and won 55.8% of his faceoffs.

While playing for Tocchet in Arizona, Dvorak scored 52 goals and 113 points in 224 games.

Dvorak gives Tocchet and the Flyers depth and insurance at center after the club traded fourth-liner Ryan Poehling in a package to acquire Trevor Zegras last week.

All signs indicate that the Flyers will give Zegras the opportunity to play his natural position of center. Jett Luchanko, the Flyers’ 2024 first-round pick, and undrafted signee Karsen Dorwart were also options to replace Poehling in the lineup, but neither was a guarantee to make the team. Dvorak, on a one-year deal, gives the coaching staff bottom-six depth at center.

Flyers sign another free agent with a Rick Tocchet connection 

Dvorak wasn’t the only free agent the Flyers signed Tuesday with a connection to the club’s new head coach. Philadelphia signed right-handed defenseman Noah Juulsen to a one-year, $900,000 contract, Briere announced.

Juulsen, a 2015 first-round pick by the Montreal Canadiens, spent the last four seasons playing for the Vancouver Canucks. For part of the previous three campaigns, Juulsen played for Tocchet when he was the head coach there.

The 28-year-old defender is 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds and skated in 35 games last season for Vancouver. He averaged over 16 minutes of ice time and 2:21 on the penalty kill, which was second on Vancouver.

Juulsen figures to provide the Flyers with depth at defense and likely be a regular in their defensive rotation.

Another depth defenseman signed

Dennis Gilbert, a lefty shot, comes to Philadelphia on a one-year, $875,000 contract, Briere announced.

Gilbert, a 6-foot-2 blueliner, played mostly with the Buffalo Sabres last season but was traded to the Ottawa Senators in the Dylan Cozens deal. Overall, he had six assists in 29 NHL games last season.

The 29-year-old has played parts of six NHL seasons, spending most of his career in the AHL.

Gilbert will provide the Flyers with depth on the blue line and is likely to serve as a veteran option for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Flyers add AHL depth with another Tocchet connection

The Flyers also signed center Lane Pederson to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Pederson has more than 70 games in the NHL over parts of three seasons, and if there’s a common theme here, the 27-year-old has played for Tocchet twice. He played 15 games for Tocchet in Airzona in the 2020-21 season and 11 for the Canucks in 2022-23.

After the Flyers opted not to qualify Elliot Desnoyers, making him an unrestricted free agent, Pederson likely factors in as an AHL forward and a call-up option.

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