Goalie Alexei Kolosov Resolves Issues with Flyers, Gets ‘Legit Shot’ at NHL

It appears the Philadelphia Flyers and goaltending prospect Alexei Kolosov have worked out their differences, at least for now. The unhappy netminder was set to play in the KHL this season and did not want to play in the AHL. He is en route to join the Flyers and get a shot to play in the NHL.

As per ESPN insider and analyst Kevin Weekes:

**Breaking News**: In speaking to people involved, I can confirm that G Kolosov is in the air right now en route to Philly to join @NHLFlyers for Training Camp, any past conflicts have been resolved. He looks forward to Camp with #LetsGoFlyers

According to Elliotte Friedman:

“We will see how this develops over the next few days, but there is word Philadelphia and goalie Alexei Kolosov are working on a solution to his absence. Kolosov would come over to play for a bit — exhibition games and some AHL, with agreement on a potential return to KHL if he doesn’t stay with Flyers. But they definitely want him to give North America a legit shot.”

Kolosov signed his entry-level contract with the Flyers last summer and joined the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms late in the season. However, he wound up hating the experience. Stuck in a backup role behind Cal Petersen, Kolosov had limited opportunities to play and struggled to get regular practice time. Adding to his frustration was a sense of isolation, as he was housed alone in a hotel and had difficulty communicating due to limited English proficiency.

An AHL source revealed that Kolosov informed the Flyers he did not want to return to the Phantoms, primarily due to his lack of playing time and feelings of loneliness. The issue became even more complicated when Kolosov saw fellow prospect Ivan Fedotov go straight to the NHL and receive a contract extension.

Kolosov, a 22-year-old netminder selected in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft, played just two AHL games last season. He posted a .907 save percentage and 2.39 GAA in his third full year with Dynamo Minsk in the KHL.

If this run doesn’t work out with the Flyers, he’ll likely either return to the KHL or the team might shop him around in a trade. It’s not clear if other teams will have interest considering the drama that has gone on thus far between the two sides.