Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov spoke to the media on Monday for the first time since his arrest, days after signing a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, and his year of forced military service in northern Russia.
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“I counted every day, I kept a calendar. You have no emotions, you just wait. I was hoping it would end sooner or later. Either you get away with swimming with your head held high, or you drown in it,” Fedotov said in his comments reported by the Sports.ru website.
A year ago to the day on Monday, Russian goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov believed he had achieved his dream: he signed a first contract with the Philadelphia Flyers and was to join the team a few weeks later in an attempt to pierce its formation.
A year, an arrest and a forced military service in a remote base in northern Russia later, let’s say the portrait has changed for this prospect that some saw as the future guardian of the Flyers.
There is something fascinating and deeply chilling about the story of the 26-year-old goalkeeper who answered questions for the very first time on Monday since he was arrested and then sent to northern Russia to do his military service there.
At the time of his arrest in July 2022, Fedotov had just signed his contract with the Flyers.
Ivan Fedotov upon signing his contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in July 2022.
Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
However, the war in Ukraine was already wreaking havoc and the NHL had decided to suspend its agreement with the KHL, which stipulated that the two leagues had to respect the contracts signed in one or the other of the circuits.
against russian law
Presumably, Fedotov’s North American plan ran afoul of Russian law that requires men between the ages of 18 and 27 to do military service.
Accused of having wanted to flee the war, he was therefore sent to the Far North and we never heard from him again until CSKA Moscow announced that they had signed him there. weeks away, an agreement whose legitimacy is still under investigation.
“Many do their military service and many don’t. You can discuss this topic for a long time, but the law must be obeyed. Everyone, in one way or another, is repaying their debt to the homeland,” he commented on Monday, still according to Sports.ru.
Contract investigation
Fedotov met with the Russian press in the company of CSKA general manager Sergei Fedorov, and the directive was clear: no questions about the contract signed with CSKA, which the NHL and the Flyers deem invalid and on which the International Hockey Federation ( FIHG) as well as the Russian federation are currently considering.
Moreover, The newspaper attempted to obtain clarification from the IIHF about the ongoing investigation, but a spokesperson told us that the organization is “monitoring the situation to ensure that the transfer agreement of the FIHG has been well respected by all parties involved and will not comment further at this time.”
No disappointment, says Fedotov
Despite the fine words of Monday’s press briefing, one reality remains: the Russian government has deprived Ivan Fedotov of realizing his dream of playing in the National Hockey League, but he doesn’t seem too bitter about the situation.
“There is no feeling of disappointment, he assured. Maybe it’s more dissatisfaction. Life does not end there, everyone is alive. We must continue to move forward and draw certain conclusions. You can be disappointed and feel sorry for yourself, but it won’t lead to anything good. »
Moreover, throughout the process, Fedotov had very little contact with the Flyers.
“I could call my family and friends. The Flyers learned that from the press. When I signed with CSKA, they contacted me and told me that I was under contract. It’s the only contact I’ve had. »
change of speech
What fascinates is that in May 2022, Fedotov proudly posed with a Flyers cap as he signed his first professional contract.
A year later, the message has changed somewhat, although the NHL remains a goal.
“I was guided by the fact that I missed a full year, mentioned the one who tried to keep in shape by playing hockey on the naval base where he had been sent. The army hockey level is not very good, but I tried to keep in shape. Now the decision has been made to return to the level I was at as soon as possible. CSKA owns my rights, they are the most successful club and they still have big ambitions. There are no other options. The decision was made to start winning again, to feel the adrenaline and the taste of life. »
“The dream of playing in the NHL remains. It’s what everyone wants, but everything in its own time. »