Flyers Still Fighting to Bring Ivan Fedotov to North America

The Philadelphia Flyers have turned to the IIHF for a final ruling on Ivan Fedotov and his contract situation between them and CSKA. 

CSKA Moscow’s training camp ahead of the 2023-24 season starts tomorrow, and as of this moment, the team is still expecting Ivan Fedotov to be there with them. They also expect Fedotov to play on the contract he just signed with them, and the player likely expects that too.

Ivan Fedotov has one year left on his NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers after it was tolled for the 2022-23 season, but has instead joined CSKA Moscow on a two-year contract starting in the 2023-24 season. By registering Ivan Fedotov’s contract, the KHL violates the previously agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding between the league and the NHL. The KHL originally refused to honor the contract between Fedotov and CSKA.

NHL Vice Commissioner Bill Daly had previously gone on the record and indirectly stated that Ivan Fedotov still has a valid contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. In conjunction with the Flyers and the National Hockey League, the International Ice Hockey Federation is now reviewing all documentation on Ivan Fedotov and his contracts. The review will be overseen by Ashley Ehlert, IIHF Deputy General & Legal Director.

Apparently, the IIHF is nearing a final decision on the matter, which should end this saga mercifully, for once and for all. In regards to that, Luc Tardif, the head of the IIHF, recently revealed that:

"“We will announce the decision soon. Why hasn’t the statement been made yet? The IIHF legal authority needs all the documents from each side in this case. If they are available, it will be easier for the Federation to make a decision in accordance with the rules of the IIHF. First of all, we will inform the clubs of our decision, leagues, and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. We need arguments and documents from both sides, we need more time, we have to make a serious decision. Our decision will be based on respect for the contract."

It’s unclear why the NHL or the Flyers are putting in this much leg work to bring Ivan Fedotov back to North America, especially after the player turned his back on them to sign in Russia. The Flyers already have Carter Hart, Sam Ersson, Cal Petersen, and Felix Sandstrom. At this juncture, they don’t have a ton of use for a for a goalie who will turn 27 during the season, especially considering what they already have on the roster.

Sure, Ivan Fedotov could be an excellent goalie in the NHL, but by the time the Flyers can put a team around him to make his abilities count for something, he’ll be 30 or 31. Hopefully the IIHF soon puts this saga to rest.

Information used in this writing is credited to @HockeyNewsHub on Twitter.