Flyers goalie Joseph Woll says Dan Vladař’s injury doesn’t ‘change my process’ or ‘mindset’
“I think I’ve proven that I can [step in and be the guy] in my career. So my goal from the start with this team has been to help them however I can, whatever situation that means, Woll said.
The Flyers may have “dodged a bullet,” as Rick Tocchet said Tuesday, but even if Dan Vladař can’t play for a bit because of an upper-body injury, the bench boss has a solid option in reserve.
Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs with defenseman Simon Benoit for Sam Ersson and Emil Andrae in June, Joseph Woll has won 63 of his 117 career games with a 2.94 goals-against average, .906 save percentage, and four shutouts.
» READ MORE: Flyers believe Dan Vladař ‘dodged a bullet,’ list the netminder as ‘day-to-day’ with an upper-body injury
Across his three full seasons in the NHL, he has never shouldered a true No. 1 goalie workload. Woll’s career high is 42 games played in 2024-25, where he went 27-14-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .909 save percentage. But the Missouri native feels that, because he’s seen it all and has played all different roles, he has learned to stay consistent with his habits and mindset.
“I think I’ve proven that I can do that in my career. So my goal from the start with this team has been to help them however I can, whatever situation that means, so [it] doesn’t really change my process or my day-to-day or my mindset with whatever happens,” Woll said when asked Wednesday if he would be ready if Vladař cannot go.
While Vladař’s status remains in question, it appeared that the Czech netminder was putting in some work on the ice at the Flyers Training Center on Thursday behind closed doors. Woll will make his second start of the preseason on Thursday against the Boston Bruins (7 p.m., NBCSP) and is expected to play the full game.
He played two periods in Monday’s preseason game against the Washington Capitals, allowing three goals on 19 shots. His reads, timing, and movement stood out.
“I think my skating, my athletic ability, is definitely something I’m trying to prioritize and really use when I’m able to. I’ve talked about it, after the summer [it] is really my goal to balance the two between the technical part of the game and the athletic kind of instinctual part,” he said after the game.
“So felt like I had a couple nice saves showing that part and a few things I can work on as well. So I think that’s the goal, when you come out of a game, is feel good, feel like you’ve made some good saves, [and] at the same time, feel like you have stuff to take you forward.”
The adjustment to a new team and new systems has not been too drastic for Woll, as ex-Flyers forward and former Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube employed similar systems during his two-year tenure. But he has spent extra time working with the defense to get acclimated to its style of play.
“He actually asked if a few of the D could go through some calls with him. Work on him playing the puck at the end of yesterday’s practice,” Jamie Drysdale said Wednesday. “So that’s good to see. It’s much better than going into Game 1 and having some confusion.”
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Added Woll on Wednesday, “There’s just little things, right, within everything that obviously no organization is going to be identical to the last. So I think with puck playing, it’s important for the D and the goalie to be on the same page, and just for me to hear them and hear them talk and learn how they come back for pucks.
“There’s little nuance things between teams [that] is different, but also player to player. So I think with any team, kind of comfortability with the guys you’re around is important.”
Breakaways
As Tocchet spoke to the media, saying Denver Barkey was a possibility for Saturday, the young forward left the non-game group practice, according to the Nasty Knuckles podcast. Wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, Barkey reportedly grimaced and left the ice. Barkey left Monday’s preseason game against the Washington Capitals with a lower-body injury. … Several veterans — forwards Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Christian Dvorak, Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov, and Tyson Foerster, and defensemen Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Drysdale, and Rasmus Ristolainen — will see their first game of the preseason while forwards Jett Luchanko and Cole Knuble will see their third. Fans will also get their first look at forward Noel Acciari, while forwards Jacob Gaucher and Porter Martone, and defensemen Helge Grans and Benoit will play their second game of the preseason. … Daniel Spencer has been named the Flyers’ full-time emergency backup goalie for the season after serving in the role on game nights for the past three seasons. Each team is required to carry a full-time EBUG, beginning this season. A native of Gloucester, who played at Gloucester Catholic and served as an assistant hockey coach from 2022-25, Spencer played four years of Div. III hockey at Finlandia University. … Forwards Carl Grundström, Jack Studnicka, Nolan Foote, Danila Klimovich, and Zach Aston-Reese, and defenseman Cam Dineen all cleared waivers on Thursday.
