Carson Bjarnason has a ‘quiet confidence about him’ in his second Flyers development camp
The Flyers' second-round pick from the 2023 draft is just 19 years old and has another year before he's eligible for the minor leagues. Bjarnason has speed and a strong reaction time in the net.
A recurring theme — or trope, if you may — around prospects is their connection to the Flyers organization.
Add goalie Carson Bjarnason to that list.
“I’ve had some talks with Carson about my experience playing in Philadelphia,” former Flyer Marty Murray told The Inquirer. “I loved every second of it. Obviously, [a] very passionate fan base. I relay to him, you just give everything you can, and that’s what people expect. They spend money on tickets and things like that, and they expect hard work.
“That’s one thing I took about being a Flyer, not only as a Flyer, but just throughout my career, was having that work ethic every night. And that’s something that Carson and I talk [about], just the expectation of playing in the Flyers organization.”
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After playing a handful of games for the Calgary Flames over four seasons, Murray joined the Flyers and had 53 points in 150 games between 2001 and 2003. Murray’s time in Philly allowed him to understand what it means to don a Flyers uniform. It’s something the coach for the Brandon Wheat Kings has instilled in his team’s goalie.
“He’s got a quiet confidence about him,” Murray said. “I’d like to maybe see him get a little bit more swagger to his game at times, but I think that’s a maturing and development thing with a young man, too. He’s a competitor, and he works hard. I think Flyers fans should be excited.”
Bjarnason is attending his second development camp since being drafted with the 51st overall pick last year. This past season, the 19-year-old netminder posted career bests in goals-against average (3.01), save percentage (.907), and wins (24) while playing in 46 games for the Wheat Kings. Brandon got swept by Moose Jaw in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the Western Hockey League playoffs, with Bjarnason losing all four of his starts with a 7.15 GAA and .831 save percentage.
He doesn’t look at the season as a failure, instead focusing on learning from his experiences and building on his progress.
“Moving forward through the season, and just carrying into the next, I think a lot of footwork is a big thing for me,” said the 6-foot-3, 202-pound goalie. “I’m a big guy, and I think I have to learn to use my size a little better, and just being able to cover more net given the body that I have.”
Bjarnason was ranked as NHL Central Scouting’s top North American goaltender in his draft class. The Flyers traded up to add him to an impressive lineup between the pipes — while also adding Egor Zavragin in the third round in 2023. With Sam Ersson and Ivan Fedotov in net for the Flyers, Bjarnason will spend another season in Brandon; Canadian Hockey League players cannot play in the minors until they are 20 by Dec. 31, and Bjarnason will turn 20 on June 30, 2025.
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A technical goalie, Bjarnason is working on keeping his posture up and using his big frame to attract shooters to his chest. He has speed, strong reaction timing, and can flash the leather. And with all the controversy around reverse vertical horizontal in the goaltending community, he’s moving away from using the mechanics and is “holding my feet more” in regards to defending the post.
Entering the 2024-25 season, Murray thinks Brandon is entering a strong cycle, and the local kid — Bjarnason, who always makes himself available for community relations and grew up about 30 miles east — will play a key role.
“He’s got experience under his belt, and I think that he’s a pretty high-profile goalie,” said Murray, adding that Bjarnason should compete for a spot on Canada’s World Juniors squad. “He has to have the confidence — and he’s a confident kid — but just for me, I think that Carson is such a nice, quiet kid that’s very humble.
“I want to see him have maybe just a little bit more assertiveness and not be arrogant or cocky by any means but just have a little bit of swagger. Let’s say a goal goes in, how are you going to bounce back? And I think that for him to have that confidence and swagger in his game, I think will carry him a long way.”
Flyers goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh and Brady Robinson, the team’s goaltender development coach, keep in touch with Bjarnason. Time will tell how long it’ll be before he’s in Philly, but he does have one guy in his corner.
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“I think that, obviously, there’s a long way to go from being a 19-year-old to playing in the NHL, but I think he’s trending in the right direction,” Murray said. “As a former Flyer and somebody that roots for the organization, I’d love to see Carson go in there and turn some heads.”