Another day, another goalie.
Sebastien Caron, a free agent who played the last three years in the Swiss National League, signed with the injury-plagued Flyers today and will become the seventh goalie to dress when they face Montreal tonight.
Caron, 29, has played in parts of four NHL seasons with Pittsburgh, Chicago and Anaheim, compiling a 25-47-12 record, a 3.45 goals-against average, and an .892 save percentage in 92 games.
After taking some shots from teammates at the Skate Zone in Voorhees this morning, Caron called it "a shocker for me" to be signed. "I was expecting to be done for the year and I got the phone call, so I'm ready to be part of the team here and finish the season with them."
A former third-round draft pick of the Penguins, Caron can only play in the regular season - the Flyers have four games left after today - and will not be eligible for the playoffs.
If he gets into a game, he will be the sixth goalie to play for the Flyers this season, which would set a club record.
Caron was in Switzerland when he got a call from the Flyers Tuesday; he arrived in Philadelphia Thursday. Caron, who said he had not played in a week, will serve as Brian Boucher's backup tonight.
"It's difficult when you're overseas and try to come back," Caron said. "The teams scout you, but it's pretty hard for them to figure out whether you can still play or not. The good thing for me is to come here, and if I have to go in, just to show myself. . ..As far as I know, it has not been easy for them here, but I'm here to help. I don't want to talk about the [Flyers'] past or anything. I just want to look forward."
Caron, a Quebec native, said he has improved from when he first played in the NHL.
"With Pittsburgh, it was a tough situation," he said. "We were in last place, and for three years, I was battling hard. But I think it made me a better goalie when I went to Switzerland and got my confidence back."
Boucher has struggled since replacing the injured Michael Leighton as the starter. In his last seven starts before Friday, he had a 3.32 goals-against average.
"Hopefully, I won't have to go in because they can do their job, but if I do, I'll do my best," Caron said.
If he gets into a game, "I'll just try to play and enjoy it," Caron said. "When you're in the NHL, you don't think it's easy to get out, and after (you get out), it's hard to get back in. I never thought I was going to have a chance again, and it's just nice to get that chance."
Caron and his wife and five-year-old son have a house in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. Caron played there while in Pittsburgh's farm system.
"I live two hours away, so it's a perfect situation here," he said.
Besides Leighton, goalies Ray Emery and Johan Backlund are also injured.