Quick Hits: July 18, 2024
1) Flyers 2024 fourth-round pick Heikki Ruohonen is one of 12 forwards attending the Finnish Ice Hockey Association's
pre-WJSS camp in Vierumäki from July 20 to 24. Assuming Ruohonen is part of the Finland roster for the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase (July 26 to August 6), the Flyers will have eight prospects at the WJCC.
The other seven: Denver Barkey (RW, Canada), Jack Berglund (C, Sweden), Carson Bjarnason (G, Canada), Oliver Bonk (D, Canada), Jett Luchanko (C, Canada), Noah Powell (RW, USA), Carter Sotheran (D, Canada).
2) There is nothing to report, at least as of now, regarding the status of goaltending prospect Alexei Kolosov and whether he will report to the Flyers' camp in September or remain in Belarus. There were recent unsubstantiated reports from Belarus that the player -- who is under entry-level contract to the Flyers for two more seasons -- has enlisted Dinamo Minsk to help negotiate a release from his NHL/AHL deal. N
A Flyers source said, as far as the organization is aware, Kolosov still plans to play in North America. Earlier this off-season. per the Flyers, Kolosov told the Flyers that there was nothing to rumors that he went home to stay after feeling homesick during his brief late-season stint with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the end of the 2023-24 season. He did not attend the Flyers' recent Development Camp.
Shortly before the latest round of rumors, there was a photo of Kolosov training in Belarus. Posing at rinkside with a young fan, Kolosov wore his Phantoms gear -- mask, pads, and even a Phantoms practice jersey. Subsequently, reports surfaced that Kolosov is training with Dinamo Minsk and was seeking a way to get out of his two remaining seasons contracted to the Flyers/Phantoms.
It is hardly unusual for European players to do some summer training with their hometown team overseas (especially when they still have many friends and connections with the club). As far as formally seeking a more permanent return home after spending just few weeks in North America, that's far less common but not implausible.
Contractually, the Flyers upheld their end of agreement with Kolosov and Dinamo last season. The Flyers loaned Kolosov back to his Russian team -- burning the first year of his ELC in the process -- for the duration of the 2023-24 KHL season. The understanding was that Kolosov would come to play thereafter in North America (whether with the Flyers in the NHL or the AHL with the Phantoms was at the Flyers' discretion, not the player's).
3) Speaking of Russian/Belarusian Flyers goalie prospects, SKA St. Petersburg is loaning Flyers 2023 third-round pick Yegor Zavragin to HC Sochi for the 2024-25 season. SKA went the same route the past two seasons with forward Matvei Michkov. Sochi is one of the weak-sister clubs in the KHL, whereas SKA is a perennial contender. Such intra-league loans are allowed in the KHL, and SKA has come to use such arrangement for well-regarded young players to gain top-level experience rather than playing very sparingly for SKA or going to a junior (MHL) or minor league (VHL) team.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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