Ivan Fedotov is staying ‘patient’ despite being the odd man out in the Flyers’ goalie rotation

Last week, John Tortorella laid out the Flyers’ goalie depth chart: Sam Ersson at No. 1, Aleksei Kolosov at No. 2, and Ivan Fedotov at No. 3.

The Flyers aren’t the only team in the NHL with a three-goalie rotation, but it’s not an ideal long-term situation for Fedotov as the odd man out. The 28-year-old hasn’t seen game action since Dec. 5 against the Florida Panthers, when he was replaced after the first period after allowing two goals on seven shots.

“It’s a tough situation for me, I understand that,” Fetodov said after practice Tuesday. “But what I came to do, it’s only [to] keep working, keep focusing my mind. Enjoy every day, find the times, opportunities [to] work hard, get some time in net.

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“I have extra time for some specific work, more [time to] concentrate on some details. Just be ready for my chance, my opportunities; it’s all I can control.”

Tortorella acknowledged Tuesday the need for more consistent playing time for Fedotov, which will eventually mean returning to a two-goalie tandem. Fedotov will need to clear waivers before he can report to Lehigh Valley.

The complicating factor keeping Fedotov around is Ersson’s ability to stay healthy, which Tortorella described on Tuesday as “a question mark.” Ersson has missed time this season with a lower-body injury and was reactivated off injured reserve on Dec. 8.

“There’s no sense of doing things that you don’t need to, that you live to regret doing so quickly and let the other things settle. So the conversation’s going on, let’s see where it goes,” said Tortorella, who declined to give a timeline on the decision.

It’s been a long journey for Fedotov. The Finnish-born, Russian goaltender was drafted in 2015 by the Flyers and eventually signed an entry-level contract with the team in 2022. But before he could reach North America, he was arrested in St. Petersburg, Russia for an alleged evasion of military service. He sat out the entire next season while fulfilling his military requirements. Then, he signed a multiyear contract with KHL club CSKA Moscow in 2023, despite the International Ice Hockey Federation’s ruling that Fedotov had a valid contract with the Flyers.

CSKA terminated Fedotov’s contract in March 2024, finally freeing him to join the Flyers two years after he initially put pen to paper on his NHL contract. Before his arrest, Fedotov had established himself as one of the KHL’s top goalies, winning the league’s goalie of the year award, a Gagarin Cup, and an Olympic silver medal in 2021-22.

“I respect that about him, before he began here, some of the stuff he had to go through. And then with us, he struggles early and finds his game,” Tortorella said.

After signing a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension this summer, Fedotov initially broke training camp this year as Ersson’s backup, but he got off to a rocky start. It appeared he was turning a corner with his play in late November before Kolosov officially supplanted him for the No. 2 spot. Fedotov has an .877 save percentage and 3.49 goals against average in 10 starts this season. Meanwhile, Kolsoov has an .899 save percentage and 3.05 goals against average, although his numbers have been much better of late — .916 SV% and 2.20 GAA over his last five starts.

“Let’s not forget, I think it’s never easy for a European goalie to kind of come here and adjust to the North American ice surface,” captain Sean Couturier said of Fedotov. “I think he’s still kind of adapting, adjusting, probably learning the angles and all that stuff. … He’s been better, improving since he’s gotten here, and whenever he’s got his name called he’s stepped up big for us at times.”

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While he continues to be the odd goalie out, Fedotov is putting to practice some of the lessons he’s learned from the adversity he’s overcome.

“It’s only one net, three goalies,” Fedotov said. “We’ll see what happens later. Right now, I have patience. After two years, I’ve learned how to be patient.”

The Flyers head to Detroit to face the Red Wings on Wednesday (7 p.m. TNT), before returning home to host the Los Angeles Kings at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPN+/Hulu).