Prospect Alexei Kolosov Could Join Flyers In Early Spring

The 2023-24 KHL regular season is winding to a close, which means the Philadelphia Flyers could get some reinforcements in goal, in the form of Alexei Kolosov, very soon.

Kolosov, 22, is currently playing in the KHL for Dinamo Minsk, and his team only has six regular season games remaining. On Tuesday, they’ll play against HC Vityaz. In the West, Minsk is sitting in the eighth and final seed with 61 points. Matvei Michkov and HC Sochi, sitting in 10th, have already been eliminated.

This means that Kunlun Red Star, 13 points behind Minsk and having a game in hand, is the only team that can wretch a playoff spot from Kolosov and his club. It would take a monumental collapse on Dinamo’s part for that to happen.

Minsk’s last game is on Monday, Feb. 26, so unless that collapse happens, the Flyers will have to wait until March, or whenever Minsk gets eliminated or goes the full distance, to get Kolosov in Philadelphia.

Kolosov, of course, is on loan to the KHL for the rest of the season. However, once Minsk’s season ends, the Belarusian shot-stopper is free to join the Flyers.

The only exception is if there were any conditions discussed in the loan that would require Kolosov to stay with Dinamo, for example. Since the Flyers just signed Kolosov to a three-year entry-level contract in July, it’s unlikely that such conditions exist.

As for the prospect of the 22-year-old playing in NHL games this season, I, personally, would pump the brakes. Sure, it would be cool for the Flyers’ top goalie prospect to jump into some games immediately, but he has no experience playing the North American game whatsoever. It’s more likely that the Flyers assign Kolosov to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for AHL seasoning to finish the 2023-24 campaign.

Plus, it’s not like the Phantoms don’t need some help of their own between the pipes. Cal Petersen is going to be with the Flyers for the foreseeable future, which means that Lehigh Valley has a tandem of Felix Sandstrom and Parker Gahagen to work with. Gahagen, 30, has never played more than five AHL games in a single season before this year and has a career record of 10-8-3. There’s not really an NHL future there.

Without a doubt, the Flyers will be keeping an eye on Kolosov as his season nears a conclusion. Just don’t get your hopes up on him playing for the big club this year.

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