New Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař is looking like a shrewd signing amid an impressive start

Hitting the open market for the first time this summer, Dan Vladař wasn’t sure what to expect. But when he heard that the Flyers were interested, he “really wanted to come.”

And after signing a two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Flyers in July, he has found a home — on and off the ice.

“It’s been great. Since Day 1, everybody’s been super nice to me. So obviously, I really appreciate the way that guys welcomed me in this organization. ... And I for sure, appreciate the opportunity as well,” he said on Friday.

“So, you know, I don’t want to waste any moment here. I’m just trying to do my best, and enjoy my time, but at the same time, try to get myself and my teammates better every day.”

» READ MORE: New Flyers goalie Dan Vladař says he’s coming to compete. His underlying numbers are intriguing.

There were question marks from outsiders about the Czech goalie’s ability to tend the twine, enforced by his .895 career save percentage across 105 NHL games.

According to Natural Stat Trick, over his past three seasons with the Calgary Flames, during five-on-five action, he had the 12th-lowest goals saved above average (-13.97) and 14th-worst high danger save percentage (.808) among goalies with at least 3,000 minutes.

For comparison, his current partner, Sam Ersson, was third-worst in GSAA (-33.78) and 15th from the bottom in HDSV% (.809). GSAA compares the number of goals allowed to what was expected based on a league-average save percentage and shots faced.

But in five starts for the Flyers, Vladař has been impressive with his compact movement, ability to read the play — even as teams crash the net and try to take away his eyes — and confidence in net. He is 3-2-0 with a .932 save percentage, tying him with two-time defending Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck for the third-best mark among goalies who have played at least four games.

“Just solid,” coach Rick Tocchet said of his netminder. “There’s some saves there, where they’re Grade A shots. Like, it doesn’t seem like that to the average person, but that’s a good save. There’s traffic, and you see him stick his blocker out; from the bench, that’s a good save. He’s making those kinds of saves [and] he’s giving us a chance to win.”

Flyers general manager Danny Brière said at the end of last season that the team’s goalies — Ersson, Aleksei Kolosov, who is now with Lehigh of the American Hockey League, and the since-traded Ivan Fedotov — needed to be better after combining for a league-worst .879 save percentage.

Entering Friday, led by Vladař, the Flyers are ranked 12th with a .908 save percentage. And, according to Natural Stat Trick, he is ranked sixth with a 2.96 GSAA and .889 HDSV% at five-on-five among goalies with at least 150 minutes.

“Obviously, you want to start off well, but at the same time, you only have to focus on things you can control,” Vladař said. “And that’s how you prepare, and what you do outside of the games, right? So whether it’s practice or just taking care of your body outside the rink, you’ve just got to try to put yourself in the best position for success.

“And if it works out great, if it doesn’t, then you at least know that you did everything you could to give yourself the best chance.”

» READ MORE: Owen Tippett is setting the tempo for the Flyers, both on the ice and with the aux cord

Vladař came to Philly intending to go day by day with a clear mindset. What he probably didn’t expect was having the comforts of his hometown, Prague, close by.

The 28-year-old native of the Czech Republic and his family head to Four Green Cats Café in Mount Laurel often.

Described as a cozy Czech café with an antique atmosphere that offers authentic European pastries and drinks on its Facebook page, Vladař said that his wife, Martina Vladařová, goes twice a week. He goes at least once a week to get some home cooking at the café that lists Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos as a patron, too.

“I can even put a food order, and the lady makes it for us, Nadia [Vasa]. So she’s been awesome and we really like it. We really like it,” he stressed. “It reminds us of our country, of our home, and she’s a really good cook.

“I told her that she should open up a Czech restaurant in Czech, not in the U.S., because she cooks really well.”

Vladař is a big fan of goulash — he likes the beef stew with the chunks of meat — and has already ordered it twice. He may just get it again in the near future. And this time, maybe with the Czech version of coffee cake, one of his favorites.

“One hundred percent,” he said about having familiar, fresh foods so close.

“The only thing is, it’s not as healthy,” he smiled. “So, if I do that once a week, I always get the kids’ portion, because I don’t want to stuff myself up with not as nutritious meals.”

The Flyers Charities Carnival will be held on Feb. 1. General admission tickets go on sale Monday at 11 a.m. Tickets bought on this day will have early access to purchase Sign & Snaps when they become available on Nov. 10.