Ivan Fedotov returns to hockey as CSKA Moscow, KHL disregard IIHF ruling

The Ivan Fedotov saga has taken yet another turn as the Philadelphia Flyers prospect appeared in CSKA’s season opener despite the IIHF’s sanctions.

If you thought the story of Ivan Fedotov was over, think again. After missing the entire 2022-23 season due to mandatory military service, Fedotov was between the pipes when CSKA Moscow opened its season against Ak Bars Kazan. Making 33 saves on 38 shots, Fedotov and CSKA would lose 5-2. But that’s not the story.

The IIHF recently ruled that Fedotov’s contract with the Flyers was valid, paving the way for him to come to North America. He was to be suspended until January and could not playing in any international games, though he would’ve been able to play in the NHL. CSKA was also banned from having any international transfers for the entire season. Both CSKA and the KHL have disregarded the ruling, stating that Fedotov’s Flyers contract ran out this past summer and the deal that he signed with them was the valid one. They have appealed the IIHF’s decision and plan to have Fedotov play.

They, along with the KHL, released a statement about their disregard for said ruling, sharing their belief that it infringes on Fedotov’s right to work.

"“The CSKA team applied for the match and included Ivan Fedotov in the list to participate in the match,” said KHL president Alexei Morozov. “The KHL accepted the application, the application went through the CIB database, so he will take part in the match. The KHL and the club do not agree with the IIHF decision, which infringes on the constitutional right of a citizen of the Russian Federation to work. The General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation came out in defense of the player and sent a warning to the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, the club and the League about the inadmissibility of violating the right to work and ordered Fedotov to be allowed to participate in the competition.”"

By disregarding the ruling, CSKA and likely Fedotov himself will face even more sanctions as the IIHF is already well aware of their decisions. Whether or not Fedotov is complicit in this is not the question at this point. This has now become something between the NHL and KHL that could have consequences down the line. While the memorandum of understanding between the two leagues was suspended in March 2022, both sides had continued to work in good faith with one another. This could end up causing more issues with the KHL’s fight to keep Fedotov in Russia.

All teams, not just the Flyers, will likely be more cautious of any prospects or future players playing in the KHL. In regard to Philadelphia, Alexei Kolosov, having signed his ELC this past summer, was loaned back to Dinamo Minsk for another season. The two sides appear to have an understanding that Kolosov will come over to North America after the year. Matvei Michkov has three-years on his contract with SKA St. Petersburg. There is little belief that he will be over before that and this fight could end up making that a certainty. The Flyers aren’t in any rush for Michkov, however they don’t want to run into any issues when it is time for him to make his NHL debut.

It could be time for the Flyers to give up their fight in bringing Fedotov over. It appears that CSKA has no issues dealing with whatever sanctions the IIHF plans on giving them. They are going to play Fedotov regardless. In the end, this only hurts him. It’s a shame that it has come to all of this simply because Fedotov wanted to achieve his dream of playing in the NHL. Hopefully everything is settled at some point and he is simply able to play without this hanging over his head.

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