Flyers Trade for Joseph Woll to Form New Goaltending Tandem© Instagram
The Philadelphia Flyers made the first significant trade of the NHL offseason on Tuesday, acquiring goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Samuel Ersson, Emil Andrae and a third-round pick in next week’s draft. The deal addressed the Flyers’ most pressing offseason need in one move: a credible backup behind Dan Vladar.
Vladar had a breakout 2025-26 season, going 29-14-7 with a 2.42 GAA and .906 save percentage in the regular season before posting a 2.18 GAA and .922 save percentage across 10 playoff games as the Flyers eliminated Pittsburgh in the first round before being swept by eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina in the second. The problem was everything behind him. Ersson went 14-11-5 with a 3.12 GAA and .870 save percentage in 33 games, a career-worst return that cost Philadelphia points during the regular season.
Flyers GM Danny Briere was direct about the reasoning at his pre-draft press conference in Voorhees. “We felt that Woll is a step forward for us, and will be able to help Vladdy in a tandem role. We thought it was a chance to improve the team, help them take another step.” He added: “Sam has been a fantastic teammate, really loved in the room. We just felt it might be time for a change of scenery for him.”
All About Joseph Woll
Woll, 27, spent parts of five seasons with Toronto and owns a 63-43-9 career record with a 2.94 GAA and .906 save percentage across 117 NHL games. His 2025-26 season was his weakest, going 15-16-7 with a 3.34 GAA and .899 save percentage in 39 games, but the two seasons prior he posted save percentages of .907 and .909. He also brings 14 playoff appearances, posting a 2.73 GAA and .906 save percentage in the postseason. His contract carries a $3.67 million cap hit with two years remaining.
The Simon Benoit Addition
Benoit, 27, provides physical depth on the blue line. He ranked second on Toronto in hits with 194 and third in blocked shots with 114 across 73 games, posting six assists and a minus-22 rating. His $1.35 million cap hit on a one-year deal makes him a low-risk addition to a Flyers defensive group that is still developing.
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