IIHF levies sanctions against Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov, CSKA Moscow and Russian Federation

Philadelphia Flyers fans percolated with hope this week after prized prospect Matvei Michkov was spotted wearing orange and black workout gear in a video posted on social media. Could the 2023 No. 7 overall pick arrive in the City of Brotherly Love before his KHL contract ends in 2026? That got a little murkier over the weekend.

No NHL team knows more than the Flyers how difficult it can be to get a top player out of Russia.

To that end, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) levied sanctions against club CSKA Moscow, Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation after all three of those parties violated IIHF transfer agreements and had Fedotov play in the KHL while under active contract with the Flyers.

Fedotov, now 27, signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers on May 7, 2022. When he went to leave the country in 2022 to begin his career in North America, he was stopped by government officials and forced into conscription service in the Russian military. Fedotov did not play in the 2022-23 season while he was banished to Siberia in service. But upon his release, he tended goal for one more season for CSKA Moscow, a move in direct violation of transfer agreements, which states that a player with a valid contract with one team in one league cannot play for another.

The IIHF ruled last August that Fedotov was in breach of his contract with the Flyers. They gave him two weeks to return to the Flyers, or obtain a release of his contract from the Flyers. Neither happened and Fedotov was banned from all national and international games for four months, but he kept playing.

As a result, the IIHF issued significant punishment on Saturday. They issued a two-year transfer ban on all international transfers through Aug. 10, 2026. The IIHF suspended Fedotov from representing Russia in any international competition, including the Olympics, for three years. They also issued a six-month suspension (essentially one full season) for Fedotov from playing in any club games when or if he leaves the NHL, which would theoretically impact future play in the KHL. And the IIHF fined the Russian Federation a total of 1 million Swiss Francs, which is the equivalent of more than $1.1 million USD, or 101 million Russian rubles.

The IIHF sanctions appear to be particularly onerous toward Fedotov, who may or may not have been coerced or forced into playing for the CSKA Moscow Red Army team last season. Fedotov completed his season with CSKA Moscow and then joined the Flyers in late March, pressed into action in their push for the playoffs in the absence of Carter Hart, who took a leave of absence after he was charged by police for his alleged role in the 2018 Team Canada World Junior group sexual assault.

Fedotov posted an .811 save percentage in three appearances. But he appears to be the Flyers’ goalie of the future. The 6-foot-7 netminder, tied for the tallest in league history, signed a two-year, $6.55 million contract extension with the Flyers on April 23.

Will these sanctions have any impact on the Flyers to potentially bring over Michkov? Technically, the two are unrelated, though it’s impossible to say what the reaction will be in the KHL and across Russia with the heavy sanctions. Michkov is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg, a different club, through the 2025-26 season.

The Flyers would love to get their hands on their top prospect, Michkov, who is one of the top players currently not playing in the NHL. Michkov was loaned by SKA to HC Sochi this season, where he collected 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games as a 19-year-old. Daily Faceoff‘s Steven Ellis pointed out that Michkov fell one point short of Kirill Kaprizov’s record production for a U20 player in KHL history, and he did so despite an unusual set of challenges.

NHL teams are not permitted to communicate directly with KHL club officials regarding players under contract. But the belief is third party officials, including Michkov’s agents, are in touch with SKA St. Petersburg about Michkov’s future, where it is possible to negotiate a settlement or buyout of his current contract, which would pave a path for him to arrive in Philadelphia ahead of schedule.