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Report: Ivan Fedotov Detained in Russia for Evading the Army

By Scott Cole

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2022/04/10: CSKA Hockey Club player, Ivan Fedotov (No.28) in action during the 2021-22 Kontinental Hockey League Conference Finals between SKA Saint Petersburg and CSKA Moscow at Ice Palace. Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 3:2 CSKA Moscow. (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2022/04/10: CSKA Hockey Club player, Ivan Fedotov (No.28) in action during the 2021-22 Kontinental Hockey League Conference Finals between SKA Saint Petersburg and CSKA Moscow at Ice Palace. Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 3:2 CSKA Moscow. (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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So, 2022 has become known as the year that Vladimir Putin has screwed up the world’s plans with his invasion of Ukraine. Because of the sanctions placed on Russia, as well as the inability of Ukraine being able to sell their petroleum reserves, the price of oil is high. Because of other sanctions and the inability of Ukraine to sell their grain harvests, the price of food has gone high. Now, Putin’s war is greatly affecting the Flyers.

Reports are out that Flyers goalie prospect Ivan Fedotov is being detained for failing to register for the draft.

Fedotov was a seventh round pick for the Flyers in the 2015 NHL Draft. He spent the next few years honing his skills in the KHL. This past year, he was traded to the KHL juggernaut CSKA Moscow, going 14-10-2 with a 2.00 GAA and .919 save percentage. Moscow captured the Gagarin Cup this year and was named the best goalie in the KHL.

Just two months ago, the Flyers signed him to a one-year entry level deal. He was expected to push for a backup role on the team or start for Lehigh Valley, if he failed to secure the backup spot. In fact, his signing, along with the signing of Felix Sandstrom, is a big reason the Flyers may not keep current backup goalie Martin Jones.

Fedotov was going to be a big part of the Flyers’ plans for this offseason. His deal was for $925,000 and allows the team to use those financial assets to help in the free agent market. If he’s as good in the NHL as he was in Russia, that helps the team out.

However, reports are coming in from Russia that he has been arrested in St. Petersburg and is being detained. He is allegedly being held as a “draft dodger”. Reports have stated that personnel were stationed around the city looking for him and after he was caught, he was taken to an army recruitment center and forced to sign up. Or as they say in Russia, he was “invited to join the army”.

Part of the issue is that CSKA Moscow used to be the Red Army team. The club still has links to the Russian military and maybe they don’t like the fact that he is leaving to play in the US. Likewise, because of the war in Ukraine, the Flyers have had some difficulties trying to bring him over here. And as we’ve seen with the war in Ukraine, news from Russia isn’t always 100% truthful or reliable.

Russian civil codes state that evasion of military duty could be up to two years in prison. So far, the Flyers have made no official comment on this, outside of “no comment”.

Keep an eye on this story as it is sure to develop over the next few days.

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