Goalie Ivan Fedotov was able to avoid free agency this summer by signing a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, a source said on Tuesday.
The cap hit for 27-year-old Fedotov will be $3.25 million.
The 6-foot-6 goalie from Russia took nine years to come to the NHL, and the Flyers had to wait for him. Despite being chosen with the 18th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Fedotov spent the following eight seasons playing in the Continental Hockey League.
Fedotov signed a contract with the Flyers in May 2022, but Russian authorities sent him to a remote military installation in the Arctic Circle for a year of service, foiling his plans to travel to North America that summer. Following his service, he inked a two-year contract with the KHL’s CSKA. The Flyers were able to extend his contract until this season as a result.
Following their elimination from the Gagarin Cup playoffs, CSKA said that they had ended the last year of their KHL contract, but they had kept their rights to play in Russian leagues. Fedotov made his NHL debut on April 1 after moving here at last. Last season, he made three appearances for the Flyers, going 0-1-1 with a.811 save percentage.
Danny Briere, the general manager of the Flyers, declined to provide details on how the team managed to bring Fedotov over from Russia.
“He’s been through a lot in his career. He’s been through a lot in his personal life. It’s a big part of the reason why we feel comfortable. We’re excited to have him aboard,” In March, he stated.
With Fedotov joining 24-year-old Samuel Ersson, who also received a 2026 contract, the Flyers now have their goaltender combination guaranteed for 2024–2025.
The Flyers, who were eliminated from the playoffs in the final week of the regular season, had Ersson in 51 games. Former starting goalie Carter Hart was one of four NHL players accused of sexual assault in London, Ontario, in January. He took an indefinite leave of absence from the team.
Following TSN’s report in 2022 that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with a woman who claimed she was sexually abused by eight members of that team during a gala celebrating their gold medal success at the 2018 world junior championships, the London Police Department opened an inquiry.
