Flyers goalie prospect Ivan Fedotov arrested in Russia for allegedly evading mandatory military serviceGetty Images
The NHL held its annual general managers meeting on Wednesday, and executives said “the topic of Russia preventing players from returning was not discussed,” according to Michael Russo of THE ATHLETIC. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said, “There’s no indication. Teams are free to make their own decisions. » A league source said it’s “clear that Russia is currently trying to pressure NHL players not to leave Russia,” and that it “won’t be exclusive” to the Wild LW Kirill Kaprizov. Russo Kaprizov, who won the NHL’s Calder Trophy two years ago and is one of the league’s best young players, is “still in Russia” and is “wanted in his homeland for allegedly purchasing a card falsified military ID in 2017. ” His situation comes days after Flyers goalie prospect Ivan Fedotov was ” arrested and taken to a naval military camp for allegedly evading mandatory military service. ” The league source said: “I don’t know how Russian players can feel confident returning to Russia. every offseason now. Or the NHL Draft is coming up (Thursday and Friday). How to draft a Russian player now? I don’t know. It’s very complicated.” Another source said he “warned everyone he has ties to not to return to Russia during the offseason” (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/6).
HIGH ALERT: NHL Network’s Elliotte Friedman said the level of concern is “high” that the Russian government could prevent Russian players from returning to their NHL clubs. Friedman said teams “try to do as much work as possible in private” because they “don’t want to say bad things, they want to be very careful,” but it’s “very difficult to know exactly what the truth “. .” Friedman: “It’s very difficult to get information…but I know teams have been in contact with their players and asked, ‘If you’re in Russia, how quickly can you get back to South America?’ North ? We would really appreciate it if you thought about it’” (“NHL tonight”, NHL Network, 7/6).
LOGISTICS PROJECT: NHL Network’s Sam Cosentino said teams have “charged” their general managers with ranking Russian players “where they really believe they belong in this draft class.” Cosentino: “But as we get closer, you own it and you worry about public backlash and then you worry about, ‘Hey, am I going to be able to get the player here?’ » (“NHL Now”, NHL Network, 7/6).
