The inevitable has apparently happened for Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov after his detainment, as Andrew Zadrnowski, a writer for SB Nation’s Habs Eyes on the Prize, tweeted out news passed down from Russian media earlier today that he will be stationed in an Arctic naval training facility until September. From there he will be deployed somewhere for up to a year for military service, therefore putting an end to any chance he ever had of playing in North America this season.
A report from Russian website Fontanka that was shared on Twitter by Hockey News Hub confirmed this, and Fedotov has apparently been awarded the rank of private as well.
As Zadarnowksi continued, military service in Russia is a mandatory action and hockey players can usually have it deferred if they are playing for, training with, and/or signed with their KHL team. However, Fedotov signed his contract with the Flyers and tried to leave Russia for the United States in July, raising eyebrows around the country and the league – and the wrong eyebrows to boot.
Roman Teryushkov, a government spokesman, said through a rough translation with Russian state-owned MatchTV that Fedotov “must do military service in the Russian army, there is nothing to worry about, because in a year he will be able to continue playing hockey.” Teryushkov continued by stating that “the guy should serve. In principle, I don’t understand: those old contracts that were concluded by our athletes must be fulfilled, but entering into new ones and moving to a country that pursues an enemy policy towards our country, to speak for them, will not lead to anything good. He had a good contract with CSKA. It’s okay – he will serve and return to some club in Russia.” If that doesn’t scream politics then I don’t know what will, it seems as the Russian grudge towards the West, and primarily the United States, is still very much at large and the ominous ending to his statement that we shouldn’t worry because Ivan will play with “some club” isn’t a good sign in the slightest.
Nevertheless, the dream of seeing the 6’7” netminder patrolling either the Phantoms’ or Flyers’ net will have to be put on hold for at least a year as he has to serve his mandatory military service.
Karl Månsson added some important information about his whereabouts in a tweet that where he illustrated that the goaltender is currently with the military unit 59075 in Severodvisnk in Arkhangelsk region. This is where the Russian Navy’s training center is located and therefore this is where he will be located until September to complete his training.
He also mentioned that a report from Sport-Express said that Fedotov’s phone was confiscated and his lawyers – nor anyone for that matter – have not been able to contact or reach him.
More information to come.
