Flames backup Vladar gets hefty raise after signing two-year extension | Daily Hive

Flames backup Vladar gets hefty raise after signing two-year contract extension

Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports

Dan Vladar can put down some roots in Cowtown.

Vladar put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.2 million on Thursday, keeping him with the Calgary Flames through the 2025-26 season.

His current contract, worth $750,000, will expire at season’s end.

PLAY THE IMPERIAL MARCH!

Dan Vladar has signed a two-year extension with the #Flames!

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) October 20, 2022

The 25-year-old keeper is in his second season serving as understudy to starter Jacob Markstrom, who has four seasons remaining on his contract.

“I love this city, I love the fans, I love the organization,” Vladar told the team’s website. “I think we’ve got something special going on here. I love the group. Being in the locker room with Marky (Jacob Markstrom), I really like the goalie coaches here. This is probably the best thing that could happen to me. Obviously, I’m super happy here, so I wanted to stay here as long as I could.

“It’s a dream come true.”

It’s a well-earned raise.

Vladar, acquired from the Boston Bruins on July 28, 2021, for a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, posted a 13-6-2 record with a 2.75 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 23 total appearances.

"I love this city, I love the fans, I love the organization. I think we've got something special going on here. … This is probably the best thing that could happen to me. Obviously, I'm super happy here, so I wanted to stay here as long as I could."

— Ryan Dittrick (@ryandittrick) October 20, 2022

He’s 1-0-0 in one appearance so far this season, recording a 26-save performance in a 4-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

The 6’5″ stopper is expected to see his starts jump from 19 last season to somewhere around 26 this season, according to coach Darryl Sutter’s goaltending plan.

Markstrom, who was a Vezina Trophy candidate last season, would start in the neighbourhood of 56.

“Our theme coming into the season was we wanted to make sure… there are 26 weeks in our season. We want to make sure Vladar gets a game a week,” Sutter said before sliding in the surprise start for Vladar against the Oilers on the weekend. “Just a way this month works.”

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