Vladar and Cooley - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Goriders · 10-31-2025, 11:51 AM

Looking at goalie stats this morning. Looks like he is lighting it up in Philly. Good for him. I was always a big fan of Vladar. Seemed like a great teammate.

Having said that I’m interested in seeing what Cooley turns into. It did not look promising in preseason and at the end of last season. But he’s been really good in the minimal amount of game time he’s seen this year. Like Wolf he gets hung out to dry by our borderline defense. But has made some great saves to keep the Flames in the games he has played in.

In my opinion since it looks like this season is heading into a dumpster. I think Cooley should get more ice time so he can develop and so Wolf doesn’t get physically or mentally burnt out. I’m assuming based on his performance that Cooley has gained the trust of the coaches post pre season.

FlamesAddiction · 10-31-2025, 11:58 AM

I was a big fan of Vladar and figured he had the potential to be more. He wasn't going to get the opportunity here with Wolf, so I am glad he went somewhere where they could give it a shot. He's a goalie that needs to play and coming in cold all the time wasn't helpful.

I really hated how hard some people were on him around here.

Reggie Dunlop · 10-31-2025, 12:07 PM

Cooley's concussion torpedoed the second half of his season last year and only now is he starting to get back into form. Seems like a good guy and I wish him well.

Lewis_D · 10-31-2025, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I was a big fan of Vladar and figured he had the potential to be more. He wasn't going to get the opportunity here with Wolf, so I am glad he went somewhere where they could give it a shot. He's a goalie that need to play and coming in cold all the time wasn't helpful.

I really hated how hard some people were on him around here.

Yeah, the complaints about him last season were quite hyperbolic. I recall some saying he wasn't even an NHL calibre goaltender.

dino7c · 10-31-2025, 12:10 PM

Likely goalie matchup Sunday
Cooley has played way better than expected...fluke goal cost him a win

Vladar wasn't good to start last season, he was very good in the 2nd half. Both things are fair and true. Vlad is the goalie the Oilers should have signed but they are too dumb.

Jay Random · 10-31-2025, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Vladar wasn't good to start last season, he was very good in the 2nd half. Both things are fair and true. Vlad is the goalie the Oilers should have signed but they are too dumb.

Give Vladar some credit. I don't think he was dumb enough to sign with the Oilers, either. He wanted to play for a team that doesn't destroy its own goalies by playing 80's pond hockey.

GioforPM · 10-31-2025, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

Yeah, the complaints about him last season were quite hyperbolic. I recall some saying he wasn't even an NHL calibre goaltender.

At the beginning of the year people said Vlad wasn't an NHL goalie, he shouold be dropped and Cooley brought up.

Second half of the year Vlad was better and Cooley was then the non-NHLer.

TBF, every backup looked bad in preseason, but Cooley has played well in his two starts. It's good because now Conroy doesn't have to go hunting for a backup.

dino7c · 10-31-2025, 01:24 PM

The other guy is playing well in the AHL too

Erick Estrada · 10-31-2025, 01:29 PM

Glad to see Vladar having some success in Philly. I actually picked him in my fantasy pool as I had a hunch he may do okay under Tocchet given how he wants to win every game 2-1. So far that hunch has paid off.

TrentCrimmIndependent · 10-31-2025, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

The other guy is playing well in the AHL too

It's almost like it takes goalies a little time to get into a rhythm and september games aren't the best barometer of ability.

Erick Estrada · 10-31-2025, 01:54 PM

Lots of goaltenders have struggled to start the season. The Wings and Blues have had unsustainably bad goaltending to start the season.

RedHot25 · 10-31-2025, 02:46 PM

I like Vladar and wished he would have stayed.

That said, looking at his numbers right now in the context of his overall career, they are going to fall. The question is how much and for long do they fall. Is it a periodic hot streak like he would get here, or is it something more sustainable? We shall see...

Scroopy Noopers · 10-31-2025, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Likely goalie matchup Sunday
Cooley has played way better than expected...fluke goal cost him a win

Vladar wasn't good to start last season, he was very good in the 2nd half. Both things are fair and true. Vlad is the goalie the Oilers should have signed but they are too dumb.

I heard a rumour that they offered him max term and he told them to “get ####ed you stupid oilers!”…. True story.

gvitaly · 10-31-2025, 03:26 PM

I was a bit surprised the Flames couldn't recoup the 3rd they spent on Vladar by trading him last year. I think it's in large part because a goalie like Vladar is pretty streaky. He is showing that he's a good tandem goalie, but I still don't see him as a full time starter. I think he will have a career similar to Rittich, a season or 2 of being a .920 goalie, while being a .900 goalie the rest of the time.

As for Cooley, I'm glad he's playing well and had good 2.5 games now. He still didn't get any wins, but he was noticable in a good way each time he played. The shootout last night outlined some of his weaknesses. He also needs to work more on his puck handling and communication with the D, those parts will come. I'm cautiously optimistic we found a good backup in Cooley, but I don't see him as more than that.

I don't mind playing Cooley more often in order to give Wolf more rest.i don't really think there's much development to be had for a 28 year old goalie. If anything the 2 years younger Prosvetov is a guy I could see develop once he gets used to the NA ice.

Lewis_D · 10-31-2025, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

It's almost like it takes goalies a little time to get into a rhythm and september games aren't the best barometer of ability.

But that would prevent certain posters from constantly making blanket statements in the hopes of it coming true so they can say they told us so!

Andrew · 10-31-2025, 04:49 PM

Problem with vladar was inconsistency... its too early to say this

Shazam · 10-31-2025, 04:53 PM

The fear of having batteries thrown at him is keeping him sharp.

OminousFlames · 10-31-2025, 09:02 PM

I noticed the Flyers play a back-to-back as well. They play the Leafs the night prior. You would think they play Vladar for the Leafs game? Being a interconference game.

Secondly, the Flyers play both back-to-back games at home. When was the last time the Flames had a back-to-back both at home?

dino7c · 10-31-2025, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OminousFlames

I noticed the Flyers play a back-to-back as well. They play the Leafs the night prior. You would think they play Vladar for the Leafs game? Being a interconference game.

Secondly, the Flyers play both back-to-back games at home. When was the last time the Flames had a back-to-back both at home?

Flames are lucky to get a 2 game homestand

Sandman · 11-01-2025, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I was a big fan of Vladar and figured he had the potential to be more. He wasn't going to get the opportunity here with Wolf, so I am glad he went somewhere where they could give it a shot. He's a goalie that needs to play and coming in cold all the time wasn't helpful.

I really hated how hard some people were on him around here.

It seems like I had to defend Vladar from the day we acquired him. I knew he was better than what he was showing, and I thought we should be keeping him through his prime years.