VOORHEES, N.J. – While some may look at Ivan Fedotov’s current plight occupying the Flyers’ third goalie position in a normal two-goalie rotation as dire, it’s really nothing compared to what he had to go to get here from Russia.
Currently, with Samuel Ersson back from injury and Aleksei Kolosov playing quite well in recent action, Fedotov suddenly finds himself the odd-man out.
Things unraveled in the first period of a game against Florida on Dec. 5. The 27-year-old was pulled after a shaky first 20 minutes and hasn’t played since, a five-game stretch that has some speculating he might be put on waivers with the intention of sending him to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Yet because Fedotov has already endured so much adversity on his journey to the NHL, he somehow is managing to stay cool through this difficult time.
“I have to be patient,” he said after Tuesday’s practice at the Flyers Training Center. “All I can do is keep working. Just enjoy the day. It’s not easy. I have time for some specific work. Concentrate on some details. Be ready for my opportunity. It’s all I can control.”
The Flyers signed Fedotov to a two-year, $6.5-million contract back in April with hopes he could challenge Ersson for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.
He’s had his good moments, but there have also been some shaky times.
At the moment, he’s played in 10 games with a 3.48 goals-against average and .877 save percentage. Both stats are below the NHL average.
When general manager Daniel Briere inked Fedotov, a former seventh-round draft pick of the Flyers back in 2015, he sounded optimistic the 6-foot-7 netminder could make an immediate contribution because he had shown so much fortitude just getting to Philadelphia.
Fedotov attempted to come to North America in July 2022 but instead was taken by authorities to a remote military base in the Arctic Circle for a year of service.
Last summer, after completing that service, Fedotov signed a two-year contract with CSKA. He played for the team this past season, appearing in 49 games through March 8, when it was eliminated in the first round of the Gagarin Cup playoffs.
Because Fedotov already had an NHL contract with the Flyers, the International Ice Hockey Federation last summer ruled in their favor and sanctioned him and CSKA. CSKA eventually terminated his contract.
In the end, it all worked out. Rest assured, a lot of people got paid off to make this happen.
Still, it was quite an achievement for Fedotov to get here.
“That gives us confidence he can come and help us,” Briere said back in April. “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.”
If Fedotov can get his current situation turned around, it would be another impressive accomplishment.
“After all the things, it was harder than it could be or should be,” he said. “Yeah, it’s been a tough year but finally I can be here. We’ll see what happens in the future. Right now I just have to have patience. After two years, I learned how to be patient. I’ll keep myself sharp, that’s all.”
Coach John Tortorella appreciates all that Fedotov went through but his job is to put the best players on the ice and right now the topt-performing goaltenders on the team are Ersson and Kolosov.
“(He’s) gone through a lot, yes,” the coach said. “I respect that about him, even before he got here, some of the stuff he had to go through. And then with us, he struggled early, then finds his game.
“It (third man on the depth chart) is not a great spot to be in. But it is what it is. I haven’t changed my decision on that stuff. But you never know what happens. And he continues to do his stuff here and handles himself really well.”
Captain Sean Couturier confirmed having three goaltenders is not an ideal situation because there’s really only enough work for two. Still, it’s a bit of a luxury to have three very competent netminders.
“I don’t think it’s ideal for them, honestly,” he said. “But they’ve been good with this rotation. I’m sure it’s hard for them mentally but each guy is putting in the work and waiting for their chance to get out there.”
Ersson was injured for the better part of a month and it gave the other two goalies a chance to get a good look at the NHL. That could be productive in the late stages of the season if someone gets sidelined again.
“They’ve all stepped up at different times this year,” Couturier noted. “We’ll just stick with it, I guess.”
Like his coach, Couturier sees a lot of character in the way Fedotov made it through a demanding challenge to get to the U.S.
“I’m sure he’s been through a lot over the last couple years to get here,” Couturier said. “It’s never easy for a European goalie to come over here and adjust to the North American ice surface. I think he’s still kind of adapting, adjusting – probably learning all the angles and stuff. He’s been improving since he’s gotten here. He’s stepped up big for us at times.”
Alternate captain Scott Laughton also appreciates what Fedosov has had to brave to maintain a position here.
“He’s put in the work,” Laughton noted. “He’s working hard in practice. You never know what happens here. You carry three and see what happens. ‘Torts’ (Tortorella) will play the best guy that’s going and we’ll go from there.”
