Flyers goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov signs two-year KHL contract

Do you remember the Ivan Fedotov saga?

Let me remind you.

Just over a year ago, the Russian goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers was arrested by Russian authorities on suspicion of trying to avoid military service in Russia by joining the Flyers in North America.

It was later revealed that the Flyers’ seventh-round pick (188th overall) in 2015 had deteriorated, potentially due to intentional poisoning.

A few months before his arrest, Fedotov had signed a one-year contract with the Flyers to join the NHL for the 2023-2024 season.

It was when the Russian goaltender informed his KHL team, CSKA Moscow, of his intention to make the leap to North America that Fedotov’s problems began.

In the end, Fedotov never joined the Flyers, and didn’t play a single game in the 2022-2023 season.

However, in a twist of fate, we’ve just learned that Fedotov has agreed to the terms of a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow for the next two seasons.

This means that Fedotov becomes the first player to default on his NHL contract since the NHL cancelled the memorandum of understanding between the two leagues (i.e. with the KHL) in March 2022.

Because yes, Fedotov is currently under contract for one more season with the Philadelphia Flyers, given that his one-year contract has been pushed back to the 2023-2024 season.

In short, Fedotov’s signing in the KHL represents a breach of his contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

So, in the end, it’s a rather bizarre situation that continues in the case of this 27-year-old Russian goaltender.

He didn’t play for a full season after being arrested and supposedly poisoned, and now he’s magically reappeared and will be in front of the net for CSKA Moscow for the next two seasons.

Quite bizarre, thank you.

I guess he completed his military service, but wasn’t allowed to make the jump to North America.

Too bad for him.

En Rafale

– Who do you think he is?

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– To be continued.

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– He’s having quite a season.

– Not a good start for Lewis Hamilton.

– Wow.

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