On Tuesday, Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Danny Briere announced that he signed goaltender Ivan Fedotov to a 2-year, 6.5 million contract, with an average annual value of 3.25 million.
The issues preventing Fedotov, 27, from coming over sooner are well documented. This year, Fedotov, listed at 6′-7″, posted a respectable .914 save percentage and 2.37 GAA in 44 regular season games with CSKA Moscow. He was more or less the same in their playoffs, where he had a .916 save percentage a 2.57 GAA in 5 games. He also previously won the KHL Goaltender of the Season as well as a Silver Medal in the 2022 Olympics with the ROC.
With the Flyers having goaltender issues since Carter Hart’s departure, the arrival of Fedotov was a very welcome surprise. However, in three showings with the Flyers, he couldn’t replicate his KHL success. In one start and two relief appearances, he had a .811 save percentage and 4.95 GAA. While everyone hoped Fedotov fared better to start his NHL career, much of it was waved off due to needing to adjust to playing on NHL-sized ice and the whirlwind of his move from Russia to the United States. Fedotov’s NHL contract was set to expire at the end of this current season and could have made him an unrestricted free agent, though it was all but a foregone conclusion that he was going to sign an extension with the Flyers.
However, this contract is the epitome of high risk, high reward. A deal of this nature is unexpected for an unproven goaltender. 3.25 million is a hefty price to pay for the body of work he delivered for the Flyers at the end of this season. It’s possible that with offseason training that Fedotov better adjusts, but it is mildly concerning that his cap hit is as high as it is, even if it’s only for two years. If this is what it took to keep him here, it was still worth the gamble, especially if Fedotov can return to his KHL form and considering that the Flyers don’t intend to contend for the next few years.
With Fedotov’s signing, the Flyers completed one objective of their offseason. They now have their goaltending set for next season, as Fedotov will enter into a tandem role with Samuel Ersson.
By: Katie Bogan (@cl4udegiroux)
Photo credit to Matt Slocum, AP Photo
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