Embarking about his second full NHL season and first full season as the Flyers’ likely No. 1 goaltender on the depth chart, Samuel Ersson set out to make a statement in training camp: He aims to prove that he carry the mantle of the team’s undisputed primary starter for a full season and not just portions of the year.

Ersson started two games during the preseason. He notched a 37-save shutout against the New York Islanders at Wells Fargo Center on September 26.

Five nights later, he almost singlehandedly gave his team a chance to win in Boston on a night where the team was outplayed. Ersson stopped 30 of 32 shots to keep the game close. It was only when the Bruins tacked on a pair of empty net goals that they secured a 4-1 win over Philly.

Overall, Ersson stopped 67 of the 69 shots he faced (.971 save percentage) in the preseason. It was not simply the stats that stood out. Ersson’s positioning, puck-tracking and rebound control were also first-rate. Moreover, in the latter game, he faced a Boston lineup that primarily consisted of the team’s NHL regulars.

Hear rom Tipp, Erss, TK and Rocky Thompson following our 2-0 shutout win over the Isles on Thursday night. #LetsGoFlyers

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 27, 2024

Shortly past the midway point of the season, Ersson took over as Philadelphia’s primary starter. He strung together a strong run for several months but then struggled (along with nearly the entire team) in the heart of the stretch drive. Flyers head coach John Tortorella has admitted that overuse and the wear-down effect took hold.

“I think there are things I learned last season, and the year before,” Ersson said on Oct. 4. “But, at the same time, I don’t really think about it too much. It’s a new season and things start over. I think I had a good summer of training and I’m excited to get the season going.”

While it’s true that Ersson’s play had a downturn during the stretch, he also was pivotal in why the Flyers were able to take playoff hopes into the final game of the regular season.

On April 11, “Ers” outdueled Jonathan Quick and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden as he stopped 24 of 25 shots in a 4-1 win. Two nights later, Ersson notched a 20-save home shutout of the New Jersey Devils in a skinny 1-0 victory that kept Philly alive. In the finale at home against the Washington Capitals, the game tied at 1-1 late in the third period (Ersson denied 16 of 17 shots) before the Flyers were forced to pull Ersson in desperate pursuit of a regulation win. Two empty-netters by the Caps resulted in a 3-1 Flyers loss.

“Everyone wants to play in big games that mean a lot. We played some last year and hopefully we will play more this season,” said Ersson, who also performed well on the international stage for Team Sweden at the 2024 IIHF World Championships.

Ersson has long been noted for his mental toughness as well as his physical abilities, which were the traits that first drew Tortorella to take a shine to the player during his NHL stint in 2022-23. He has an ability to put out of his mind a tough game or an individual goal he felt he should have stopped.

After the preseason shutout against the Islanders, Ersson shared some of the communication that he had with the defenders in front of him during camp.

“We’re a team that takes pride in blocking a lot of shots,” Ersson said, adding that he certainly appreciates the sacrifice and grit in front of him. However, there are situations where he’d rather let the puck get through to him, lest he be screened or the pick accidentally deflected by a partial block.

“It’s all about communication. Sometimes, trust that when I can see the pucks, I’ll stop most of them,” Ersson said.

How many games can Ersson reliably start if healthy in 2024-25: 46, 50, 52? That remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen if Ivan Fedotov can provide comparable quality in his allotment of starting assigments.

Will rookie Aleksei Kolosov and/or other Lehigh Valley Phantoms goaltenders be called up to assist the NHL parent club at some point during the campaign? If so, how will they fare?

The answers to these questions will go a very long way in determining whether the Flyers can return to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2019-20. For now, what’s certain is that Ersson enters the 2024-25 regular season with sky high confidence after a stellar camp.