"Phoenix's Ilya Bryzgalov is the marquee goalie among this year's crop of unrestricted NHL free agents, but Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and his staff are mulling over whether the team needs to make a move for a goaltender.

Holmgren, in his season-ending session with reporters Tuesday at the Flyers' Voorhees training facility, made it clear that Sergei Bobrovsky, who had a strong rookie season but slumped toward the end of the year, was a major part of the team's future.

"He's a tremendous young goalie in our league," said Holmgren, whose team was swept by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "How that plays out down the road in terms of when he becomes a No. 1 goalie - which I fully believe he will - I don't know. Could it be next year? I mean, he was at times this year for us. We just have to wait and see how things play out this summer, but I'm very excited about Sergei as a goalie and as a part of our organization."

The Flyers already are near the $59.4 million cap, which is expected to rise by a few million, for next year - and that's without factoring in resigning some of their own free agents. They would have to clear lots of cap space to sign Bryzgalov.

Bryzgalov, a 30-year-old Russian who had a combined 15 shutouts and a goals-against average just under 2.40 in the last two seasons, will probably command about $5 million to $6 million per season. The Flyers plan to "take a look" at Bryzgalov, said an NHL source familiar with the team's plans.

"The pat answer for me is we're always looking to make ourselves better at every position," Holmgren said.

Holmgren did not dismiss re-signing goalie Brian Boucher, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Boucher, however, seems a long shot to return.

"Brian had a tremendous year for us," Holmgren said. "I thought Brian, like a lot of guys in the playoffs, struggled with things. We will see how that plays out. . . . I know he wants to continue playing. I know he likes it here, his family likes it here. But we'll see."

The amount that the salary cap increases this summer may have an effect on Holmgren's decisions."