Prospect Info: April 2: Alexei Kolosov has joined AHL Phantoms (Goalie, 2021 draft pick); played April 13

[deadhead]

Everyone who is flaking on the Flyers is "entitled" and "doesn't want to play hockey," or maybe the Flyers are mismanaged with an awful culture. It's pretty obvious from their offseason decisions there was not a spot on the team for Kolosov with Fedotov making what he's making. Also, the team plays vets at the AHL level at the expense of young players. The Flyers approach to rebuild is to allow the cap dumps they take on to block the development of their prospects. "If we're going to pay them, might as well have them earn their money."

Every AHL team plays a certain amount of veterans. But you're limited in how many you can dress.

It isn't like there are so many veterans that real prospects get blocked, it's players like Millman, who never progressed above ECHL level play who get blocked.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Talking points have been sent out.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Talking points have been sent out.

And they still chose to dump Bob for f***ing Bryz...

 

[Cody Webster]

This is guy went to Wharton?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1836108359109423275

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

 

[BernieParent]

I can understand Briere et al putting up the brave front outwardly, while they work behind closed doors at improving their relationships to avoid bleeding more talent, but Briere's statement really points to them believing it. Imagine a bottom-half-of-the-league team puffing out its chest as though it is a preferred destination. They are going to use Michkov as a super-shield against addressing their administrative tactics. When Michkov has had enough and forces his way out of the franchise, the FO turn will be epic.

 

[Kshahdoo]

They have Zavragin anyway so no worries about who will play in the ECHL in a few years...

 

[FLYguy3911]

You know hockey season is back when you see this. @Striiker

 

[renberg]

If Fedotov works out as a competent NHL goal tender, Kolosov will be Alexei who? Oh the guy who the Flyers drafted who was afraid of competing for a job. If Feds flops, DB stepped in it and walked through the house.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Charlie riled up the stepford fans with that article.

 

[Striiker]

You know hockey season is back when you see this. @Striiker

View attachment 907594

 

[TB87]

Flyers PR machine going into overdrive about this situation eh?

I genuinely have no idea what happened here.
I also don’t think we’re being told the truth from the Flyers. It’s in their best interest to make themselves “look good” by potentially massaging the truth.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I agree that Kolosov shouldn’t be handed an NHL spot but at the same time you essentially did the same thing with Fedotov when you handed him that contract. You have no idea if he’ll be any good or not but you basically gave him a contract that gives him a spot these next two years really regardless if he’s actually any good or not.

Between that & Peterson last year I don’t blame Kolosov for just wanting to head back home if the option is playing in the AHL. There isn’t a clear pathway for upward mobility right now.

 

[deadhead]

Fedotov paid his dues and was headed to Philly before he got kidnapped and sent to the Arctic Circle. He was coming off a championship run, 22g .937 Sv%, .919 regular season (his backup, a veteran goalie, put up .902 Sv% on same team, next year was the starter, .912 regular season, .930 in 25 PO games).

Kolosov does not have that track record and I doubt any NHL team would bring him over to play on the NHL squad at this point in his career. The Flyers told him they were lending him to Minsk for one season, then wanted him to play in NA. When Kolosov was drafted, Flyers thought Fedotov was coming over and they saw Kolosov as a long-range prospect (most goalies don't reach NHL until 23-25 years old). The one thing the Flyers do well is develop goalies and they probably want to be hands on with all their young goalies.

It's been difficult to get good information on Russian (and Belarus) players the last few years, first COVID, then the invasion. The top guys are still headed to the NHL, and the money difference means they are happy to come over. The second tier guys are more risky b/c it's hard to get eyes and ears on the ground. Which probably explains why they've hired Oleg Znarok.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Briere is smart enough not to bid against himself, i.e., always start with a price that's too high and let potential trade partners make counter offers.

Deslauriers, Seeler, Fedotov, and Hathaway contacts are all him bidding against himself

 

[Beef Invictus]

Why are we again taking the organization at their word when they've already said things that contradict what they're saying now?

And when they admitted to lying to fans

 

[FLYguy3911]

I like how Kolosov was proof that Flahr and Fletcher didn’t completely piss away a full draft class and now he’s fodder.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Flyers PR machine going into overdrive about this situation eh?

I genuinely have no idea what happened here.
I also don’t think we’re being told the truth from the Flyers. It’s in their best interest to make themselves “look good” by potentially massaging the truth.

Good rule of thumb is that the harder the Flyers push a story, the less true it is. When the facts of a situation stand on their own they don't need to try this hard and so they don't.

 

[Magua]

Imagine a bottom-half-of-the-league team puffing out its chest as though it is a preferred destination. They are going to use Michkov as a super-shield against addressing their administrative tactics. When Michkov has had enough and forces his way out of the franchise, the FO turn will be epic.

I don't think Michkov's here by his UFA years. The Flyers will play contractual hardball, if he's too good; and/or they'll remain in the doldrums, and he'll get frustrated and ask for a trade.

"We won't be Buffalo. We'll never be Buffalo!" Bill Meltzer will scream as he watches them transmogrify into a bleaker Buffalo.

 

[JABEE]

At some point, you have to admit you are the problem. The Flyers have not had any success for 15 years and the media for the most part acts like their hardball tactics are good.

Players are “entitled.” Well, tough crap. That’s the world now. Players have fought for the right to control their destiny and careers. They won’t just allow themselves to be buried by Tortorella. Agents know these pricks will blackball and ruin your career on a whim so you have to watch out for your client.

If anything the Flyers approach of bailing and trading guys will lead to more of this as long as they are a basement dweller franchise.

The goal of the rebuild is to become a destination franchise. They have a huge market and they are squandering it with their bravado and propaganda campaigns. Knifing a few guys publicly on the way out builds a reputation for the franchise.

 

[BernieParent]

View attachment 907599

You have the best collection of gifs.

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

I don't think Michkov's here by his UFA years. The Flyers will play contractual hardball, if he's too good; and/or they'll remain in the doldrums, and he'll get frustrated and ask for a trade.

"We won't be Buffalo. We'll never be Buffalo!" Bill Meltzer will scream as he watches them transmogrify into a bleaker Buffalo.

If the flyers hardball and mess up Michkov I’m legit done as a Flyers fan and will go watch a different team, this is my last straw tbh

 

[Appleyard]

I do think that the whole circumstance was unfortunate, and it takes two to tango... Kolosov is being a bit of a child...

but I can understand why Kolosov might feel "slighted" and some people just dont ever let go of a grudge.

They bring him over on March 26th.
They get Fedotov on March 29th. Kind of out of the blue...

If he was not made aware of it being in the works for Fedotov to come, and was told/implied that he effectively just had to beat Sandstrom out for an NHL job? And then 3 days later they announce Fedotov and ofc what Kolosov felt was "promised" to him in terms of situation shifted on its head...

yeh, if it were me I would probably breath in deeply and wrinkle my brow and move on from it in a few days... but I know some people who would see it as a betrayal or being lied to!

 

[Appleyard]

Now, I want to believe that this is not the case. And either way he is still being slightly immature.

BUT if the NHL is anything like junior hockey (and my guess it is more professional)... when a player is coming in generally the FO, key staff meet with them in lead-up, look at depth chart, look at development trajectory, pathways for next year or two and likely outcomes depending on play etc.

And IF Flyers had such a meeting and Fedotov was not on depth chart, not mentioned as a possibility... and then days later the news breaks? Well...

 

[GKJ]

Why are we again taking the organization at their word when they've already said things that contradict what they're saying now?

We’ve had Ant claim otherwise, so pick who you want to believe I guess.

Now that Danny has put it out there, someone will likely respond.

When did Kolosov find out Fedotov was coming? Russians do not want to play in the AHL.


By the way, seen a few times from the people we would expect to throw cold water on it, about how the Flyers viewed him. He may not be an A+ or A prospect, but both Briere and Jones had done the interviews where they brought him up, and made it clear they wanted low information Flyers fans to know about him, even before Hart went away. This was a player they were starting to promote. You don’t go on WIP and talk about how KHL teams are down 3 games to 1 in their playoff series. We know what they’re telling people.