Report: Flyers to Sign Brian Elliott, a Finalist for Justin Williams

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

At noon tomorrow, Brian Elliott is going to be a Philadelphia Flyer.

Andy Strickland, FOX Sports Midwest rinkside reporter for the St. Louis Blues, first reported on Thursday that the Flyers were in talks with Elliott for a deal at three years and a $2.75 million cap hit. Strickland reported on Friday that the deal will be a two-year deal at the same cap hit. 

Prior to Strickland's report on Thursday, it was reported by Elliotte Friedman that Philadelphia was the predicted landing spot for Elliott. 

Elliott spent the 2016-17 season in Calgary, posting a 26-18-3 record with a 2.55 GAA and .910 save percentage. He previously played for the St. Louis Blues for five seasons. Elliott had a strong regular season in 2015-16, posting a 23-8-6 record with a 2.07 GAA and .930 save percentage.

Elliott made his NHL in the 2007-08 season with the Ottawa Senators, playing one game and making 28 saves on 29 shots in his first NHL win. He started 30 games in his rookie season with Ottawa in 2008-09, posting a 16-8-3 record with a 2.77 GAA and .902 save percentage.

He played into the 2010-11 season with Ottawa before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche for the remainder of the 2010-11 season. He started 12 games for the Avalanche, posting a 2-8-1 record with a 3.83 GAA and .891 save percentage.

Elliott’s career started to turn around when he arrived in St. Louis starting in the 2011-12 season. In 36 starts, Elliott posted a 23-10-4 record with a 1.56 GAA and .940 save percentage and had nine shutouts.

Since the 2011-12 season, Elliott has posted a save percentage of .907 or higher and a GAA of 2.55 or lower in each of his next six seasons.

While Elliott’s playoff numbers are a different story, he has been a fairly solid regular-season performer, helping get St. Louis to the playoffs in four of his five seasons with the Blues and helping the Flames reach the playoffs in the 2016-17 season.

In 41 career playoff games and 39 starts, Elliott has a 15-22 record with a 2.60 GAA and .908 save percentage. He particularly struggled in Calgary’s playoff series against Anaheim, allowing 12 goals on 88 shots as the Flames were swept by the Ducks.

One thing Elliott is familiar with is the tandem style of goaltending the Flyers want to use for the short term. Elliott shared the net in St. Louis with Jake Allen and Jaroslav Halak in previous seasons and split time with Chad Johnson in Calgary last season. Elliott has started more than 45 games in the regular season only once in his career with Ottawa in the 2009-10 season, making 48 starts and appearing in 55 games.

While the ability and characteristics are very similar to Steve Mason — some might argue that Mason is the better goalie — Elliott has been willing to work in a tandem. Mason strongly opposed the tandem and wanted to be named a permanent starter.

You might think that with a goalie locked up and Jordan Weal re-signed on Thursday night, the Flyers wouldn't have much left to tackle when free agency actually hits. But the Flyers are reportedly one of three teams that are finalists to land Justin Williams.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the Flyers, Islanders and Lightning are the finalists for Williams. Carolina has also been making a push as the signing period nears. Williams started his career in Philadelphia, playing the first four seasons of his career with the Flyers after being drafted by the team in 2000.

Williams scored 24 goals and had 48 points last season for Washington, where he spent the last two seasons after stints in Philadelphia, Carolina and Los Angeles.

The free agency signing period officially opens on Saturday at noon, when the Flyers are expected to announce the Elliott signing.

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