The Ivan Fedotov saga is something that has been closely watched by many in the hockey world.
On Monday, all eyes will be focused on him again as the International Ice Hockey Federation prepares to make a very important decision on his future.
“The statement of the International Ice Hockey Federation will be on Monday,” said IIHF President Luc Tardif to Russian news outlet TASS on Friday.
The statement in question is about Fedotov’s contract situation with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Flyers and the NHL previously submitted an appeal to the IIHF arguing that Fedotov’s previously signed contract from the 2022-23 season should be tolled into 2023-24 after he served out his year of military service in Russia after reportedly trying to evade conscription and being subsequently detained, thus making him eligible to play in the NHL this season.
CSKA Moscow argued that since the contact was only valid for the year before, Fedotov was free to sign with them and wasn’t under any contractual obligations.
Fedotov signed a two-year contract on July 8th with KHL club CSKA Moscow – the Red Army team – and the contract was registered with the KHL, drawing the ire of the Flyers and the NHL. The NHL stated that the agreement with CSKA Moscow was in violation of his contract with Philadelphia, as his NHL contract was deemed tolled and officially valid for 2023-24 by the league that point already.
The KHL’s registration of the deal made a jump to the NHL for Fedotov seem almost impossible. Now, things could change based on what the IIHF decides.
Should the IIHF decide Fedotov’s contract with Philadelphia can be tolled and is valid, he has the opportunity to come to North America and have a shot at earning a spot with the Flyers. Of course, it may take him a little while to get back into game-shape after not playing professionally since 2022, and there is a bit of a logjam in the Philadelphia crease with Carter Hart, Cal Petersen, Samuel Ersson, and Felix Sandström in the fold at this moment in time, and recently-signed Alexei Kolosov is primed to make a jump to North America in the coming seasons as well.
If things don’t go in the Flyers’ favor, their 2015 7th-round selection will spend the season with CSKA Moscow and look to help the team repeat as Gagarin Cup champions for a third straight season. Fedotov was their starting netminder en route to the 2022 championship, going 16-6 with a .937 save percentage, 1.85 goals against average, and 1 shutout in the playoffs that year.
There is also still a good chance that even if the IIHF rules in favor of the Flyers, Fedotov could play in Russia anyway.
It is worth noting that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation said they would insist on “strict compliance” with the IIHF’s ruling in a statement on July 10th.
From Russian outlet Sport Express, translated:
“The RIHF, as a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, will insist on strict compliance by the Kontinental Hockey League with the rules of international transitions of the IIHF, as violation of regulations and rules can lead to negative consequences for Russian hockey.”
Before winning the 2022 Gagarin Cup, Fedotov served as the Russian Olympic Committee’s starting goaltender at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and earned a silver medal after posting a 4-2-0 record, .942 SV%, 1.61 GAA, and 2 shutouts.
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