With eight games to go in the 2023-24 regular season, the Flyers officially have a new backup goalie. The morning after a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Ivan Fedotov was at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees for an introductory press conference.
GM Danny Briere confirmed Fedotov is on the active roster and Felix Sandstrom, who had been up on an emergency basis, had been returned to Lehigh Valley. Fedotov joins Sam Ersson as the two netminders on the roster.
Fedotov, 27, just completed his KHL season with CSKA Moscow, playing in 44 games with a 21-22-1 record with a 2.37 GAA and .914 save percentage.
“This is pretty exciting for the Flyers to finally have him on board with our team,” Briere said.
“Happy to be here and want to help the team go for the playoffs and be one of the best team in playoffs,” Fedotov said. “I want to say thanks a lot to the whole organization. Everyone supported me.”
Fedotov was drafted by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2015 NHL Draft. In the early years in the organization, Fedotov did participate in development camps and get on the ice with other Flyers prospects. As he prepared to come to the United States and start his NHL career two years ago, he had to complete mandatory military service, one of many roadblocks in getting him to the NHL.
Two years later, Fedotov is now the backup on the Flyers roster and ready to begin a new chapter.
“I’ve been here a long time ago, around eight years. After that, it’s been a long time,” Fedotov said. “Now I’m here and I’m so excited and happy to be here. Great feelings, because really difficult two years for me.”
As the Flyers continued to toll Fedotov’s contract to retain his rights, they kept tabs on the Russian netminder’s performance. Fedotov didn’t play in the 2022-23 season while completing his military service, but this past season, was back in the KHL.
“One year we didn’t get to see him much for obvious reasons. This year, we watched most of his games, almost all of them. What we felt was maybe there was a little rust at the beginning after not playing much hockey the first year, but he was excellent in the second half of the season,” Briere said. “He was excellent, really took over in the playoffs. He was very impressive in his playoff series. That makes it exciting for us to bring him aboard.”
So with Fedotov here, how soon could he be between the pipes? That remains up to the coaching staff, as the Flyers prepare for their next game on Saturday night against Chicago and Monday night against the New York Islanders. After that, the team has a three-day break between games, and Fedotov could certainly be on target to start one of those.
Fedotov’s contract is also up at the end of the season. But it doesn’t sound like this is a brief chapter with the Flyers.
“As far as a contract extension, it’s something we’re working on,” Briere said. “I don’t expect it to be an issue, but nothing has been done of yet.”
“Look forward, and now my career is starting here,” Fedotov said. “I hope it will be a long road together with Philly.”
So goaltending help is officially here for the Flyers. Ivan Fedotov is finally on the roster. Now comes the adjustment to the North American game and making his debut to see what kind of impact he can have on the team in this playoff push.
