Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov has been named as the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
The Masterton Trophy is annually awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The award is named in honor of Bill Masterton, a Minnesota North Stars forward who passed away in 1968 as the result of an on-ice head injury.
Fedotov currently has a 6-13-3 record to accompany a .881 SV% and 3.12 GAA this season. But his journey to the NHL and what led him to this season is why he was nominated for this award.
Fedotov was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Flyers and finally made the jump to North America at the end of last season, appearing in three games. He won the 2022 Gagarin Cup with CSKA Moscow and even led the Russian Olympic Committee to a silver medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics with a 4-2-0 record, .943 SV%, 1.61 GAA, and 2 shutouts before coming to Philadelphia.
His NHL tenure was delayed when he was detained for allegedly evading military conscription duties in the summer of 2022. Fedotov, despite already signing his entry-level deal with the Flyers, was then sent to a Russian naval base in the Arctic Circle, missing the 2022-23 season before playing one more controversial year with CSKA Moscow as his NHL contract was still deemed valid. The IIHF even stepped in to levy sanctions against CSKA Moscow, Fedotov, and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. His KHL contract was then surprisingly terminated after one season and he joined the Flyers.
“Ivan is an ideal choice to represent the Flyers as the Masterton nominee,” said Flyers General Manager Daniel Brière in a press release. “He never gave up on his dream of playing the NHL after being drafted nearly 10 years earlier in the seventh round. However, it is the level of resiliency he displays on a daily basis throughout the season, whether at practice or when called upon to start, that continues to impress me, the coaches and his teammates.”
“This is a surprise to me. I don’t concentrate about it too much so it’s just a good, good feeling,” said Fedotov. “It’s been my dream all time to play in the NHL. Every kid when he’s growing up probably have a dream to play in the best league in the world. So of course it’s a long way, long road for me. Finally, I’m here where I want to be.”
If Fedotov wins the award, he would be the fifth Flyer to do so alongside Oskar Lindblom (2021), Ian Laperrière (2011), Tim Kerr (1989), and Bobby Clarke (1972).
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