Flyers’ Alexei Kolosov Receives Warning: ‘Second Chance May Not Be Given’

As Philadelphia Flyers training camp rapidly approaches, the expected absence of top goalie prospect Alexei Kolosov remains the elephant in the room.

Kolosov, 22, signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers on July 8, 2023, before returning to KHL club Dinamo Minsk on loan for the season. Upon the completion of his KHL season, Kolosov arrived in Allentown, PA., to play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, compiling a 1-1-0 record in his two lone appearances.

But rumors started across the offseason, claiming that Kolosov was homesick, struggled to adapt to North America, or had similarly-stated issues. The Flyers prospect did not arrive for development camp in July, has not arrived for rookie camp this week, and is reportedly not expected to participate in training camp, either.

Whatever the issue is, Kolosov has faced some criticism for it back home in Belarus, too.

Retired Russian goalkeeper Andrei Gavrilov, who played parts of five seasons in the KHL, doesn’t think Kolosov gave life with the Flyers a fair shake.

Note: Because of the Russian-to-English transaction, some quotes were edited for clarity and grammatical accuracy.

“Maybe someone told him that he would not play. Some rumors have come. Maybe he came, and in principle, he did not like North America. For me, he had to try,” Gavrilov told Legalbet correspondent Andrei Kolosov in an interview. “Moreover, now in Philadelphia, there is no reinforced concrete No. 1. If he never comes there, then a second chance may not be given.

“The rest of the NHL clubs will be afraid to sign him. If the Flyers want to trade him somewhere, then the teams will also not have confidence in such a player.”

If Kolosov is truly homesick and does not wish to return, you can sympathize with that. At the same time, however, Kolosov is a professional athlete who signed a contract with an organization that thinks very highly of him.

The offseason addition of Oleg Znarok to a growing Russian-speaking contingent that includes Matvei Michkov, Ivan Fedotov, and Egor Zamula illustrates the Flyers’ willingness to add resources to help their players tackle the language barrier and adjust to life in the United States.

And, as Gavrilov mentioned, there is a possibility Kolosov gets NHL minutes this year. Sam Ersson and Fedotov have not yet proven themselves to be capable NHL starters and/or backups over a full season, and Cal Petersen is not in the Flyers’ short- or long-term plans.

As such, Kolosov would be the first man up in any case of emergency.

Conversely, if he fails to make good on his contract, Kolosov may never see the NHL.