Flyers' Dan Vladar leaves preseason game with upper-body injury

It was immediately clear that something was wrong with Vladar, as he was unable to pick up his stick, favoring his right arm as play continued. The Bruins took advantage, with Michael Eyssimont potting his first of the preseason to give the home team the lead. Vladar quickly gathered himself and left the contest, and Aleksei Kolosov replaced him.

The 2026-27 season was expected to be a big year for the 29-year-old. Vladar is coming off an outstanding campaign, where he helped propel the Flyers back to relevance. In 52 games, he went 29-14-7, with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. His play helped Philadelphia finish third in the Metropolitan Division, clinching the team’s first Stanley Cup Playoff berth since 2020.

Vladar was solid in the postseason, as the Flyers eliminated the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round. However, the Cinderella run came to an end in the division final, as Philadelphia fell to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

He also had the chance to represent his country, appearing in one game for Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Vladar’s play earned him a big contract. The netminder signed a five-year contract extension that will pay him $5.5 million from 2027 to 2032. He’s in the final season of his two-year contract, which has a cap hit of $3.35 million.

In 157 NHL regular-season games, Vladar has a record of 78-48-23, with a 2.81 GAA, a .898 SV% and four shutouts.