Flyers sign top goaltender prospect Alexei Kolosov to entry-level contract

One day after the Flyers lost a goalie to the KHL, they officially signed another, Alexei Kolosov, to a three-year, entry-level contract.

The 21-year-old Kolosov is one of the organization’s top prospects and has put up strong numbers in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk over the past two-plus seasons. A third-round pick by the Flyers in 2021, Kolosov is someone the organization considers a big part of its future in the crease. Last season in 42 games with Minsk, the Belarusian netminder posted a .912 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average.

» READ MORE: Latest KHL ruling means Flyers will have to wait at least another year for Ivan Fedotov

But Flyers fans will have to wait a season before they see Kolosov come to North America. His agent Aljoša Pilko tweeted that Kolosov “will start and finish the season with Dinamo Minsk.” The Flyers plan to loan Kolosov back to Minsk for the upcoming season, a source confirmed to The Inquirer. While doing so burns a year off his contract, it also establishes a clear plan for him a year ahead of time with his European club. This could help the Flyers avoid complications when getting Kolosov over to North America the following season.

This last bit is especially relevant given the ongoing saga the Flyers have gone through with another KHL-based goaltender, Ivan Fedotov. After signing Fedotov to an entry-level contract in May 2022, he was arrested for an alleged evasion of military service and was subsequently required to serve a year with the Russian military. He recently completed that service but is still being blocked from joining the Flyers. On Saturday, the KHL registered Fedotov’s recently signed contract with CSKA Moscow (for this season and next), which in turn ignored Fedotov’s existing tolled NHL contract with the Flyers.

The NHL and KHL formerly had a formal “memorandum of understanding” that ensured both leagues honored each other’s signed contracts. That memorandum was suspended — as were all NHL ties to Russia — in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The KHL’s handling of the Fedotov situation figures to send alarm bells ringing with NHL teams with rights to players currently playing in the KHL. The Flyers drafted winger Matvei Michkov with their top pick in this year’s draft, and later selected Russian goaltender Egor Zavragin in the third round. Michkov is signed with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg through the 2025-26 season. Part of the reason he slid to No. 7 overall was over concerns about getting him to North America. As of now, the plan is for Michkov to play out the remainder of his contract (three seasons) with SKA St. Petersburg.

Staff writer Giana Han contributed to this article

» READ MORE: Russian prospect Matvei Michkov presents a dilemma for every team — but even more so for the Flyers