Philadelphia Flyers: Does Their Goalie Controversy Really Matter?

Three goalies, seven games. It sounds like something seen when a team brings in a backup goalie while the team they are playing chooses to keep one goalie for the whole series.

But in this situation, it is not the case.

We are talking about the Flyers goalie change from game to game during the first round that saw Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton all in net at some point during the series, sometimes with two in per night.

The question that stands for them is: Does this really matter in the big scheme of things?

Yes, they have three goalies and don’t really seem sure who to use from game to game (although Boucher has seemed to be the biggest go-to man of these three), but they also have a choice of three quality goalies to choose from that have all pulled pro duty on their team.

Michael Leighton was the hero of the playoffs for the Flyers last year but had a rocky season this year with back surgery and a conditioning stint in the minors. He did only play one game for the Flyers during the regular season but as he showed last year, he can comfortably the play role of No. 1 goalie if needed.

Sergei Bobrovsky was a well-played rookie this year with 28 wins in 54 games this year, stepping up when both Leighton and Boucher couldn’t play or needed to be pulled during a game. While Flyers fans were not fans of this goalie at the time, he showed himself to be anything but a rookie in talent, playing a big part in getting the Flyers to the playoffs.

Brian Boucher leads the Flyers goalie talent and seems to be their No. 1 guy. He was unbeaten in six-straight games this season and another four consecutive starts later in the year. While the Flyers didn’t stick with him for the whole series, he is the only goaltender in NHL history to win two games in a playoff series when playing relief goalie.

While some are critical of whom the Flyers start in net every night and the flip-flopping of goalies from one game to the next—or even one period to the next—the controversy is worse than the actual effects of this move.

The Flyers may not be traditional, but with two veteran playoff goalies and a rookie that has played more games than the other two combined, all the goalies are prepared for whatever the Flyers organization throws at them in any game.

In addition to having three talented goalies with no clear backup, this also keeps all the goalies rested compared to other teams who play their main goalie almost every game (if not every game) during the playoffs.

So while everyone is questioning who is doing what in the Flyers net during the second round, the controversy will affect the media more than the actual goalies involved. If the Flyers lose this series, it is very doubtful the goalie situation will be the reason they don’t advance past the Bruins.