With the ship on Steve Mason sailing, the Philadelphia Flyers were in need of another goaltender to bridge the gap. Fox Sports insider Andy Strickland was first with the news. The Flyers have found a Mason replacement in goaltender Brian Elliott. The deal was originally projected at three years, but the veteran goaltender has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Flyers for two years.
The deal has been confirmed as of noon on Friday. Elliott will earn $5.5 million over a two year contract with the Flyers.
Brian Elliott deal with #Flyers is 2 years at $2.75 million #NHL
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) June 30, 2017
Brian Elliott Signs With Flyers
The Flyers are in a period of waiting for some of their goaltending prospects to develop before bringing them in. With Michal Neuvirth as the only goaltender signed, general manager Ron Hextall looked to bring in another experienced goalie to share the net. The Flyers are getting that in Elliott.
Elliott spent the last season as a part of the Calgary Flames and it was certainly a season to forget for him. His 26-18-3 record wasn’t the worst, but his 2.55 GAA was his worst since the 2010-11 season. Elliott faced more struggles in the playoffs as he allowed 12 goals in four games. He was pulled 5:38 into the fourth game as the Flames were swept by the Anaheim Ducks.
A Tandem Role
With Neuvirth’s injury history, the Flyers needed someone who could step in when called upon. They also needed someone who would be comfortable performing in a tandem role. Elliott has plenty of experience in that department. He has seen time with Jake Allen and Jaroslav Halak with the St. Louis Blues. He also split time with Chad Johnson in Calgary last season.
The tandem role has helped Elliott thrive in the past. In his first year with the Blues, Elliott started 36 games and finished with a record of 23-10-4 with a 1.56 GAA and a .940 SV%. He started 38 games in 2015-16 and finished with a 23-8-6 record, along with a 2.07 GAA and .930 SV%.
The Flyers hope that Elliott can shake off the struggles he faced last season. With the team waiting for the likes of Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, Elliott is a solid goaltender to bridge that gap. The Flyers are getting a veteran with 372 games under his belt and one unafraid of a tandem role.
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