The Blue Jackets announced they’ve acquired goaltender Ivan Fedotov from the Flyers in exchange for their sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft. No salary is retained in the deal, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz.
Columbus will acquire Fedotov after his first NHL season came in well below expectations. The 28-year-old had a long road to NHL minutes – including a years-long contract saga that involved mandatory military service in Russia and IIHF sanctions imposed on him over conflicting contracts with Philadelphia and CSKA Moscow – but finally arrived in North America in April 2024. He made his first three NHL appearances for the Flyers before signing a two-year extension with a $3.275MM cap hit. That theoretically locked in their goaltending tandem with Samuel Ersson also in the picture through at least this upcoming season.
Yet Fedotov, a former KHL Goalie of the Year who was viewed as potentially one of the next wave of high-end Russian netminders, barely held onto an NHL job. The military service that caused him to miss the 2022-23 season entirely was a significant statistical turning point for the 6’7″, 214-lb goalie. He made 26 relief appearances last year, logging a .880 SV% and 3.15 GAA with a 6-13-4 record. His 33.3% quality start rate was quite subpar, especially considering he posted a save percentage below .850 in 10 of his 24 starts. With an expected GAA of 2.58, Fedotov also received the most manageable defensive workload of the Flyers’ three goalies, according to MoneyPuck.
Columbus was looking for an insurance option if starter Elvis Merzlikins’ struggles continue and youngster Jet Greaves’ first chance at a full-time NHL role doesn’t pan out. Fedotov is far from a sure thing either, but they’re betting on his overseas track record as evidence of a potential bounce-back. He boasts a .921 SV% and 2.22 GAA with 10 shutouts in 133 career KHL games and had a 2021-22 season for the record books. He led CSKA to a Gagarin Cup championship with a staggering .937 SV% and 1.85 GAA in 22 postseason games. He was named the league’s best netminder and a First Team All-Star.
The Jackets, who PuckPedia projects to have over $15.5MM in cap space, will have no problem taking on Fedotov’s full salary for a year before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. If he doesn’t make the team over Greaves and Merzlikins, his cap hit is high enough that he should clear waivers without issue and serve as a third-string option in AHL Cleveland. It’s worth noting that Greaves is no longer waiver-exempt. It’ll be an uphill battle for Fedotov to convince the Jackets to risk losing Greaves on waivers, so if he makes the team, it’ll likely mean a three-goalie rotation in Columbus.
Meanwhile, the Flyers clear up a bit of a logjam. With Fedotov in the picture, they had four goalies in the mix for NHL minutes. Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov were still under contract, and they also inked Daniel Vladar to a two-year, $6.7MM deal in free agency to challenge Ersson for the No. 1 job. In trading Fedotov, they clear out the worst-value contract of the four and, with Kolosov remaining waiver-exempt, could now return to a traditional two-goalie setup with only Ersson and Vladar on the opening night roster.
Despite carrying a cap hit above $3MM, Fedotov will only cost the Blue Jackets $775K in actual dollars. His base salary in 2025-26 was only the league minimum. His other compensation came via a $2.5MM signing bonus, which the Flyers have already paid.
Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report that Columbus was acquiring Fedotov. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz was first to report the return.
Risky move for the flyers. He could turn out to be a solid netminder. They should’ve given him a few starts before moving on. If no one picked him up, they could’ve put him on waivers.
Maybe they want Hart to come back?
Last time they had a Russian goalie leave for the jackets it kinda blew up in their face
I like the move. Clears up some cap space and clears up a roster spot in Lehigh Valley (I’m guessing Kolosov and Bjarnason will be the tandem).
Are you fa-reaking kidding me? I was literally calling for exactly this move MONTHS ago. Like are these GMS reading my comments???
I called Sharks drafting Haoxi Wang and now Fedotov to the Jackets, this is WILD.
In not so shocking news, you never show up running your yap about all of the stuff that you get wrong.
I am absolutely certain NHL GMs scour the comment sections of hockey rumours sites.
Start calling for McDavid to the Kings and we shall see if your powers of persuasion are worth anything!
Haha that’s cool that it happened.
I don’t think y’all want McDavid in the salary cap era, gonna be real.
This is anything but an insurance policy for Columbus, Their are better options out there for the Jackets.
It’s an insurance policy for the AHL, since Greaves is no longer waiver eligible. The Jackets didn’t mind burying his salary there hence the low return.
Sounds familiar. Flyers trade Russian goalie to Columbus. Maybe he’ll be Bob 2.0. Who knows.
Waddell is a guy I like
Maybe at recess someone will ask him if he likes you.
Shouldnt you be somewhere in Vegas crying over the new LTIR rules?
There goes half of your posting material.
lmfao
Waddell has certainly improved as a GM, But he really ran the Thrashers into the ground year’s ago.
provy still playing defense in front of him ? no chance of BoB part I I happening