Does the Alexei Kolosov saga have an end? Is there light at the end of tunnel? Will we ever see the youngster suit up for the Philadelphia Flyers or their farmhand in Lehigh Valley this season?
Apparently all those questions can be answered with a yes – tentatively – as it has been reported by multiple vested media members like Elliotte Friedman, Kevin Weekes, and Anthony Di Marco, that Kolosov is en route back to Philadelphia and will be reporting to training camp after an eventful summer that saw him depart for Belarus and take part in practices with his former KHL team in Dinamo Minsk.
Friedman’s update was a little more detailed than the rest, but he makes mention of the fact that he expects to get some exhibition games under his belt and play a little bit with the Phantoms, but that there could be some sort of an agreement on the table that he could potentially return to the KHL on a loan as he originally hoped for this summer if the NHL is still out of the question.
The saga has unraveled over the offseason with multiple sources claiming he was unhappy with the current situation, that he had trouble acclimating to North America, and that he would much rather play on a loan in the KHL than be stuck in the minors if there was no chance to stick with the big club at the NHL-level.
After failing to report to training camp initially, it is a good sign that the young goaltender is on his way to Philadelphia to take part and battle for a spot. However what remains to be seen is whether or not he will actually report to the minors should he not make the club outright from training camp.
Furthermore, could this just be seen as the calm before the storm? If he was so unhappy and disinterested in the first place, what could have possibly changed his mind so rapidly with zero changes taking place on the NHL roster and additions taking place at the AHL-level.
Believing there was a shortage of goaltenders in the system, the Flyers signed goaltender Eetu Mäkiniemi to a PTO before agreeing upon a one-year, two-way contract the other day. Mäkiniemi is expected to battle with Cal Petersen in the minors while Ivan Fedotov and Samuel Ersson are expected to form a tandem in the NHL.
Where does Kolosov exactly fit into all of this? Well, the Flyers still believe he is a fantastic prospect and if he can settle down, hunker down, and play to his skill-set this year, there’s a strong possibility we see him donning the Orange and Black sooner rather later.
The Flyers really don’t have much of a contingency plan in goal should one of Fedotov or Ersson fall ill or suffer through an injury. Petersen did not rise to the occasion last year when given the opportunity, Felix Sandström is no longer on the club, and Mäkiniemi doesn’t necessarily fit into the bigger picture. Kolosov is not only a seasoned KHL goaltender but represents the next-best option in goal.
There is some optimism around the idea that Kolosov will stick around in North America as the Flyers hoped for. Di Marco tweeted out that he will battle as expected for a spot on the NHL roster and if he’s sent down to the minors he will be hoping to earn a call-up in short order, all the while not ruling out a loan during the middle of the season back to the KHL.
Di Marco and Hockey News Hub have also made mention of the idea that Minsk would welcome him back with open arms, despite adding a few goaltenders during their offseason. He would return as the starter and get the bulk of games, which could bode well for both player and team, should that be the route that both sides are content with.
Although Fedotov and Ersson are currently stapled as the NHL tandem, anything can happen, and as we witnessed last year their play hasn’t really given the organization all that much confidence heading into the new season. That’s not to say that they’ve thrown in the towel on either player but they are hoping for a resurgence from both.
Ersson did fantastically behind Carter Hart but when the latter was taken off the roster, they leaned on the former heavily and he stumbled when the playoff push was at its peak. He went 12-3-2 with a .930 SV% and had only allowed 31 goals in 17 games between November and the middle of January but after Hart’s departure, he not only saw the majority of games, but he stumbled to the tune of 11-14-4 with an. 875 SV% and 86 goals allowed in 30 contests.
Before rounding out the season on a high note, Ersson posted a 1-4-2 record with an .823 SV% and 31 goals in 8 games between the 21st of March and the 9th of April, however Fedotov didn’t fare any better as he posted a 4.95 GAA and an. 811 SV% in 3 games upon his arrival from the KHL at the end of March. The prevailing opinion is that Ersson was driven into the ground as a rookie and that Fedotov was not NHL-ready after the tumultuous year he had just experienced – but the Flyers had no alternatives or contingency plans to reroute to.
With that in mind, Kolosov has every chance to make his NHL debut at some point during the season but it all depends on how he takes to training camp, the possibility of being sent down to the Phantoms to begin the year, and whether or not he jets off to Minsk on a loan instead. All the while acknowledging the fact that they could look to still trade him with potential interest coming from Calgary and Nashville.
For the time being, Kolosov is expected to finally report to training camp in the coming days to get some game action before the regular season commences for both the NHL and AHL.
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