Fedotov will move to SKA for Samonov? Inside the Russian national team goalkeeper, who was drafted into the army

There’s a deal on the “swap of the century”

On Wednesday, a rumor circulated that CSKA signed a contract with Ivan Fedotov for three years, and this was immediately carefully refuted by the army club (“We did not sign anything, and there is no does not even have such legal grounds”), as well as by the league itself, which made a statement for ” “(” We have not received any documents to register an agreement with Fedotov “).

It is clear that it is now impossible to sign anything in the KHL with Fedotov, because he has a valid one-year contract with Philadelphia for 0.925 million dollars.

But I did some research, and found the following. I must say right away that this information has not yet become official. Only time will confirm that.

First of all, there is an insider about the following preliminary agreement: CSKA signs a contract with Fedotov for several years and immediately changes him to SKA for another goalkeeper Alexander Samonov.

Fedotov would like to play (serve in the army) in his hometown of St. Petersburg. Samonov, on the other hand, is fond of CSKA goalkeeping coach Sergei Naumov, they worked together last season in the Russian leg of the Eurotour and the Olympics.

But for this agreement to take place, Philadelphia must freeze Fedotov’s contract, and he would become free for contractual relations in the KHL.

But how to do it?

Philadelphia may ask Fedotov for $92.5 thousand

I consulted with someone who works closely with NHL players and general managers. Here is what he reported:

“If Fedotov does not arrive for training camp in Philadelphia, which opens on September 21, then the contract with him will be frozen or terminated.

At the same time, Ivan has already received a signing bonus, which is paid within 15 days of signing the contract. It’s 92.5 thousand dollars. In principle, Philly management can ask Fedotov to return this money.

“Now Ivan is 25 years old, and next year his NHL rights will still belong to Philadelphia. There is a theoretical possibility that the “pilots” will not break the contract with Fedotov, but send him to the American League under a bilateral contract. As a result, the club will pay him $ 70,000 for the year plus $ 92,500 in bonuses. And then you can just sit back, wait for the goalkeeper to be released from the army to bring her to him.

But the problem is that the one-year contract will end in a year. And then Fedotov can say: “Thank you very much for paying me 10 million rubles (if you translate at the rate). It’s a good sum for service in the army, but I won’t be renewing the contract with Philadelphia. I went to play in Russia.”

“Philadelphia is well aware of the risks. Yes, you can now sign a contract in absentia for the 2023/24 season. A year before the end of the old contract, many NHL players signed. But will the “pilots” want this?

They have never seen Fedotov in action in North America. And give him two contracts at once? You have to be a risk taker like Lou Lamorello. Philadelphia, on the other hand, has shaky management and they need to think about how not to lose their jobs this season.

The head coach of the Russian national team at the World Cup – Brylin?

There is one more thing that does not allow KHL clubs to sign a contract with Ivan Fedotov under the current NHL contract. The fact is that the North American league in February 2024 wants to launch the World Cup. And these days there is talk about whether the Russian team will participate.

To argue with the NHL at such a time would be very stupid. We remember how harshly overseas reacted to the fact that Alexander Radulov left for Salavat Yulaev with a valid contract with Nashville. He was also forced to enter into a contract with the Predators, and only after that a protocol of mutual respect for contracts appeared between the NHL and the KHL. Why break it because of Fedotov?

I discussed it with my contact in North America.

“According to my information, this will in no way affect relations with the NHL. Because only those who work in the NHL will participate in the World Cup. All goaltenders, defensemen and forwards will be under contract with the NHL. And the same goes for the technical staff. Sergei Brylin will most likely be the head coach. Yevgeny Nabokov can become a goalkeeper coach, Sergei Gonchar can still be recruited to headquarters, although he is not yet working for the NHL club. That is, all the people of North America. I don’t think they’ll call anyone from the KHL or the FHR to have anything to do with the World Cup. A possible conflict with Fedotov will therefore not affect this tournament. Although I agree with you that Russia does not need this conflict either.

Another interesting detail.

“When the World Cup was held in 2016, all NHL players who did not play but were on the teams received $10,000. And all the participants of the World Cup, who played, won 89 or 92 thousand dollars.

The World Cup is pure business. If I remember correctly, the NHL was supposed to earn $30 million from the tournament. And half of the revenue went to the players. This money was shared among everyone.

How Fedotov can part ways with Philadelphia

“It can be done without any conflict. Ivan writes a letter to the NHL team with the message: I will not come to camp, do not wait, you can terminate the contract with me.

After that, the player is on an unconditional waiver draft. No one in the NHL is going to force anyone to keep. Maximum – they can ask for a signing bonus in return. Although many NHL teams, as in the case of players who only played a few league games and left with a bonus in Russia in the middle of the season, did not even ask for this money. They were simply released and forgotten,” says our interlocutor. – The exception is Vadim Shipachev, he returned the money. But there was a $2 million bonus, that’s a lot of money, even for Vegas. So Fedotov, if he wishes, the player will simply be released in free swimming, if he himself decided to say goodbye to the NHL dream.

At the same time, Philadelphia has badly needed a good guard for many years. Carter Hart, 24, has been posting mediocre statistics for two years (87.7% – 90.5%). There’s also 25-year-old Swede Felix Sandstrom (five career NHL games). 22-year-old Swedish Samuel Ersson (did not play in the NHL). American Troy Grosenick, 33 (four NHL career games). It’s not a team of guards, but a disaster. Fedotov here could well have become the first goaltender he would have played in the NHL. Additionally, Hart has his own complications that could interfere with his career in Philadelphia.

“I repeat, no one will be forced into the NHL. If Fedotov does not want to come to the Flyers system, they will simply let him go, ”concludes my interlocutor.

What are our key dates?

September 20 – Fedotov’s trial is due and he will challenge his conscription into the army.

September 21 – Opening of training camps for NHL clubs, where Ivan will not come.

The next move is for Philadelphia and Fedotov himself. If the player himself expresses such a desire, then he will end the NHL. A job in the KHL for him, it seems, has already been found.

And in postscript – another insider.

“There is already an agreement between the NHL and the players’ union that if Fedotov is required to serve in the military for a year and does not arrive at the Philadelphia camp on September 20, then the team can freeze his contact for a year . And if Ivan wants to come in a year, then “Philly” will not lose the right to him. That is, the player will not need to go through a waiver draft, where he could be recovered by another club.This is the case when the NHL and the NHLPA (union) agree easily and unanimously on a specific issue.