(Montreal) The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Flyers in finding that Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov has a valid National Hockey League contract for the next season when he s is understood with CSKA Moscow, of the KHL.
Monday’s ruling paves the way for Fedotov to come to North America, as he planned to do a year ago before he was drafted into the Russian Army.
It was not immediately clear whether Fedotov intended to leave Russia, however. Relations between Russia and the United States are strained due to the invasion of Ukraine. The NHL severed ties with Russia last year and no transfer agreement exists between the Bettman Tour and the KHL.
Fedotov, drafted by the Flyers in 2015, signed a one-year contract to join the Pennsylvania roster in May 2022. He said during the Beijing Olympics in February of that year that he would expected to play in the NHL.
His NHL agent, J.P. Barry, instead said last summer that he was taken to a remote military base in northern Russia. The Flyers therefore postponed his contract to the 2023-24 season.
CSKA announced last month that they signed Fedotov to a two-year contract. The latter had declared at that time, in remarks reported by the government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta, to have completed his military service.
The IIHF determined that this agreement violated international transfer rules since Fedotov was not released from his contract with the Flyers and sanctioned the 26-year-old goalkeeper and CSKA. Fedotov is suspended from September 1 to December 31 by the IIHF. The federation has indicated that he will not be suspended if he plays with the Flyers, but this sanction affects KHL games.
NHL Assistant Commissioner Bill Daly has assured that Fedotov will not be sanctioned if he respects his contract with the Flyers.
For CSKA, it will be banned from making international transfers until August 10, 2024. The Russian Hockey Federation said in a statement that it would support the club if it appeals this decision.
The KHL said it would comment only after reviewing the decision.
Fedotov is considered one of the best non-NHL goalies and the Flyers are hoping he will be part of their rebuild. He helped Russia reach the final of the Olympic tournament, losing to Finland, and won the Gagarin Cup with CSKA Moscow, in addition to being selected to the KHL’s first all-star team.