NHL Rumors: Ducks Scouting Flyers’ Goalie

All eyes were on Carter Hart as the season got underway as the Philadelphia Flyers goalie most likely to be traded. And that still might be, but the one who's really turning heads right now is Samuel Ersson.

With two shutouts in his last five stasrts, a 7-3-0 mark with a .925 save percentage and a goals against under 2.00 in his last eight starts, Ersson has been one of the big reasons for the Flyers' surprising start this season. And rival teams are taking notice. 

Per Insider Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period, Anaheim Ducks DM Pat Verbeek was on hand for the Flyers game last Thursday against the Washington Capitals, and "I have heard some whispers that Ersson caught his eye," adding that:

Verbeek had a close watch on Ersson while taking in last week's (Flyers) game. 

The Ducks' own goalie, John Gibson, of course, has been the subject of trade speculation for a couple of years now, and this season has been no different. His troublesome 8-year contract with a $6.4M cap hit still has four years to run including this one, so unloading him will be difficult, and it seems that Verbeek, if he can move on from Gibson, might be liking the idea of a much younger Ersson to target. 

And while Gibson hasn't fared too badly this season, with a .285 GAA and a .906 Sv%, the team in front of him has left a lot to be desired, and the Ducks are mired in 7th place in the Pacific Division. 

As for Ersson, Di Marco reports that there haven't been any talks yet between Anaheim and Philly, and it just might be a waste of time for Verbeek, anyways:

"More than one person close to the team has said that there could be something there with Ersson in terms of becoming a long-term starter in this league," writes Di Marco. Perhaps exactly why they signed him to a 2-year, $2.9M extension this past summer, keeping him under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season at just a $1.45M cap hit for the next two years after this one. 

Hart, on the other hand, will be a restricted free agent after the season, coming off a $3.98M cap hit. 

In the meantime, the Ducks will get a close-up look at their own top netminding prospect, as they've just called up Calle Clang with Gibson away from the team. 

Photo: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports