Towards the end of the 2023-24 season, the Philadelphia Flyers brought goaltender Alexei Kolosov to North America from the KHL, where he played for his hometown team, Dinamo Minsk. With Carter Hart sidelined indefinitely due to legal issues, Flyers fans anticipated that Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov would form a promising goaltending duo until Carson Bjarnason was prepared to take over. However, this scenario now seems uncertain.
According to Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey, Kolosov has expressed to the Flyers that he does not wish to return for the next season. Reports indicate that the Flyers isolated Kolosov in a hotel during his stint with the American Hockey League’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This isolation, coupled with language barriers and limited playing time, likely contributed to his decision.
“Per AHL source, Alexei Kolosov told #Flyers at the end of his stint w/ Lehigh Valley he did not want to return
“They put him in the hotel by himself & he felt isolated, especially since his English isn’t great”
Explains the AHL deals for Gahagen & Petruzzelli. @InsideAHLHockey” Androckitis said.
He added, “Put yourself in Kolosov’s shoes for a minute.
You’re ~5,000 miles from home in a different country where you can’t speak the native language or communicate with anyone.
You’re the 3rd goalie getting minimal practice reps in AHL. What do you do the other 22 hours of the day?”
Kolosov’s situation is understandable given the circumstances. He moved from his home country to chase his dream of playing in the NHL but found himself isolated, unable to communicate effectively, and not getting significant ice time. The coming weeks will be critical in determining his future.
The Flyers may consider loaning Kolosov back to the KHL, potentially to Dinamo Minsk, or they might opt to mutually terminate the remaining two years of his entry-level contract, which would make him an unrestricted free agent. Regardless of the outcome, it appears unlikely that Kolosov will continue with the Flyers in North America next season, suggesting that his tenure as a Philadelphia prospect may soon be coming to an end.
