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The Philadelphia Flyers have a new goalie for the stretch run of the regular season (and potentially the playoffs) with the addition of Ivan Fedotov.
He is not only a potential short-term and long-term solution to a position that has been a trouble spot for the Flyers for decades, but he is also a massive individual and already one of the biggest goalies in the NHL.
This picture from his first practice with the team on Friday shows how he completely dwarfs the net.
He is listed at 6-foot-7 and weighs close to 200 pounds. That makes him not only the tallest goalie in the NHL right now, but it ties him as the tallest goalie to ever play in the NHL.
Along with being the tallest goalie to play in the league, Fedotov’s path to the NHL has been a wild ride.
Originally drafted by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2015 NHL Draft, he has spent his entire pro career playing in Russia’s KHL. He initially signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers in 2022 but was detained by Russian authorities for attempting to avoid military service. He was eventually stationed at a base near the Russia-Finland border and did not play hockey during the 2022-23 season.
He returned to the ice this season, and his contract in Russia was officially terminated this week when his team was eliminated from playoff contention.
That finally allowed him to join the Flyers. He is eligible for playoff hockey should the Flyers qualify.
Philadelphia could definitely use the help as their goaltending situation has been a mess in the second half. Their regular starter, Carter Hart, is no longer on the team as he faces charges in Canada as part of a sexual assault investigation, while the team’s backups have struggled.
Fedotov is an excellent prospect, and if he gets an opportunity, he could be a difference-maker for a surprising Flyers team that was supposed to be one of the worst in the NHL when the season began.
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