Quick Hits: August 20, 2024
1) Tickets are now on sale for the two-game Rookie Series at the PPL Center between the Flyers prospects and the New York Rangers prospects on September 13 and 14. Tickets are selling briskly. It is anticipated that highly touted Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov will suit up in one or both games. For those unable to attend, the Sept. 13 game will be streamed (Brian Smith and Jason Myrtetus on the call) and the Sept. 14 game will be televised. For ticket information,
click here.
2) It is confirmed that Flyers goaltending prospect Alexei Kolosov has switched agents to take on Dan Milstein as his representative. That instantly raised red flags because Kolosov is under entry level contract to the Flyers for two more seasons. Since then, it's been reported that Milstein will seek to get the Flyers to agree to another loan to the KHL's Dinamo Minsk, as was done last year. The KHL regular season starts on September 3.
The Flyers, for their part, are not interested in burning another year of Kolosov's entry-level contract They burned the first year off the ELC with a loan to Dinamo under an agreement that a) there'd be an open communication channel throughout the 2023-24 season, b) Kolosov would join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms as soon as his 2023-24 season was over (the KHL season is over before the American Hockey League's season), and c) the young goalie would continue to develop thereafter in North America.
The first aspect of the agreement went off without a hitch. The second part eventually happened, although Kolosov did not come over as soon as he could have. There were delays in Kolosov traveling over to the United States, which shaved a couple weeks off his spring stay with the Phantoms.
It is true that Kosolov felt homesick and didn't socialize much (despite being welcomed by everyone and working with the developmental staff). However, he wasn't "abandoned in the hotel" connected to the PPC Center. He was shown around his new surroundings and escorted as needed. Although goalie development coach Brady Robinson does not speak Russian/Belarusian, he has mentored goalies from around the hockey world, and he paid a lot individual attention to Kolosov to help him start acclimating himself. In terms of living arrangements, Kolosov preferred having his own hotel room to having an apartment with roommates. Either option was available to him.
In terms of playing time with the Phantoms last season, the plan all along was for Kolosov to get into a few games to get his feet wet but mainly to get a sense of the practice and off-ice routines. Contrary to some media speculation, he wasn't "angered" by backing up veteran AHL/NHL goalie Cal Petersen in the Calder Cup playoffs. The odd man out was Felix Sandstrom (now in the Buffalo Sabres organization), who was a healthy scratch during the playoffs.
Whether Kolosov is/was unhappy about being "blocked" from the NHL by Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov is unclear. However, it should be noted that a lot of things can happen over an entire season -- let alone two years -- and that Kolosov wouldn't just be handed an NHL job in any of the other 32 NHL organizations. He's a good prospect, but not regarded on the same level as Yaroslav Askarov (who is currently in the process of trying to force a trade from the Nashville Predators' organization).
Kolosov was initially slated to attend the Flyers Development Camp in July.He did not attend. Russian/Belarusian hockey media reported that the player claimed that he accidentally missed his flight, making it impractical to reschedule it for a brief summertime camp. This report was not confirmed.
During the summer to date, the Flyers have not formally been asked to loan Kolosov to Dinamo for another season, although there's been a lot of smoke about that being his preference. The Flyers would not make such an arrangement again willingly. They want the player to report to camp on time, play where he's told to play (whether that's the AHL or, if he shows he's ready and there's an opportunity, the NHL).
If Kolosov got cold feet last spring about coming to North America to joining the Phantoms after his KHL season -- but finally felt compelled to come -- that's OK. The fact that he felt homesick in Allentown once he finally arrived was totally understandable, although he was by no means mistreated. Not coming to Development Camp spot was disappointing, but not fatal.
At a certain point, however, Kolosov needs to be a professional. If we wants to go home another year and accept having the second year of his ELC tolled for being in breach of his contract, so be it. If a KHL team wants to once again show no regard for its non-inteferference agreement with the NHL for validly contracted players, that bridge will have to be crossed again. But the player and his new agent have to know that the Flyers will not loan Kolosov again, won't trade him (there's very limited, if any, trade value at present), and won't mutually terminate his contract.
If Kolosov honors his contract and reports, he'd be welcomed with open arms. If not, it will be dealt with via tolling year two of the contract. The players issue, from all indications, has been trepidation about playing overseas (at least in a minor league, possibly in general) but there's been no deception here. There was a development plan that was known and explained before he signed his entry-level deal in the first place. The Flyers made a pretty big concession to burn the first year of it with a KHL loan.
Now it's Kolosov's turn to live up to his end of the agreement. No more scheduling delays. No more travel snafus. No more third-party leaks or rumors. Come over to play. Alternatively, stay in Belarus and accept the contract consequence of still owing two years to the organization where he signed a contract. But act like a professional. He certainly had no qualms about accepting his signing bonus or the Flyers paying the freight for spending 2023-24 with Dinamo.
3) A Flyers Hockey Ops source said that the team has interest in a couple of veteran NHL unrestricted free agents as professional try out (PTO) candidates if the players are unable to get a guaranteed contract in the league before camp. Agents are still holding out hope until camps are closer.
The Flyers also have interest in taking a look at a "European goalie with some North American experience."
I believe the player in question is 25-year-old Eetu Makiniemi, who has played in Finland's Liiga, briefly (two games) in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks and in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves and San Jose Barracuda. Originally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes, he was traded to the Sharks in the Brent Burns deal in the summer of 2022. He is currently unsigned.
4)Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp: Congratulations to Team River Rock for winning their sixth Fantasy Cup championship in the 10-year history of the Alumni Fantasy Camp. They broke the championship game early on Monday and went on to a 7-1 win over Team Toyota. Team Results Guaranteed defeated Team Neumann by a 10-3 count in the consolation game.
Results Guaranteed forward Zach "Gunner" Stahl led the tourney in scoring with 17 points in four games (11g, 6a). Big River Rock center John Romano was second with 12 points (9g, 3a).
For a gallery of photos from this year's Camp, see the Flyers Alumni's Facebook page. For a journal of all camp activities and games,
ciick here.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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