Major Revelation May Alter Future for all Russian NHL players

A major development out of Russia could spell big trouble for athletes from that country looking to play in the NHL. In May of 2022, goaltender Ivan Fedotov signed a one-year agreement with the Philadelphia Flyers. The 2022-23 season would have been the netminder's first time playing outside the KHL. Hardly two months later, Fedotov was arrested and charged with evasion of military service, and sent to a remote base to carry out his commitment. We're now getting word that Fedotov will likely never make it to the NHL.

Fedotov was drafted by the Flyers in 2015. His inability to come to North America could have a major ripple effect for Russian players in upcoming drafts. There's simply no reason for a team to take a chance on drafting a Russian player without any guarantee they will even be allowed to leave the country.


Matvei Michkov is one of the major names in the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft. However, this latest development, combined with the fact that he already has a contract in Russia, will likely cause him to fall far outside the top three to five picks.