Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov is getting paid the big bucks but has not been doing enough to prove he belongs consistently in the net at the NHL level.
Ivan Fedotov's path to Philadelphia has been nothing short of a drama. A late-round draft choice, he thrived in Russia, won a championship, and tried to find his way to the NHL, only to be held back for dodging military service.
Blocked from playing because of IIHF sanctions, he refused to play out his contract, and then, out of nowhere, he showed up. It's been a crazy three-year odyssey, one worthy of a film if it had a happy ending.
Philly and Fedotov have had two of the worst games of the season this weekend
That feel-good ending, though, won't be in Philadelphia. His outing this weekend was ugly, with ten goals surrendered on 32 shots, two of them on three shots before being pulled in the first period on Saturday.
That's a .687 save percentage and a nasty 7.53 goals-against average. For the season, Fedotov has not instilled confidence. In 21 games, he has five wins, a 3.21 GAA, and a .877 save percentage, with some early departures.
He's had moments of brilliance but hasn't put it together yet. At 28 years old, more was expected, particularly with his championship experience in the KHL, which is widely considered the world's second-best league.
His transition was to be smoother, and it hasn't. With another year left on his contract, the right move is to send him to the Phantoms and find a new backup. Maybe Aleksei Kolosov gets an opportunity, or some other option presents itself.
But Fedotov hasn't demonstrated that he belongs in the NHL. It's too bad, given what he endured to reach this point, but sentimental feelings shouldn't be a factor when deciding on rosters.
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