Aleksei Kolosov was indeed making a significant impact with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms during their playoff push. About a month ago, he won his second consecutive game, showcasing his strong form and contributing to the team’s efforts. His performance had clearly elevated, making him a valuable asset to the Phantoms. However, the timing of his recall to the Philadelphia Flyers—right before former head coach John Tortorella was fired—raises questions about the reasoning behind this move and whether it was connected to the coaching change. To address this, let’s break it down:
Kolosov’s Performance and Recall
Kolosov’s success with the Phantoms, including his recent win streak, likely made him a candidate for a call-up to the Flyers. The recall occurred on March 25, a decision that aligned with his good form. At the time, the Flyers were struggling with goaltending, particularly with Ivan Fedotov underperforming. It’s noted that Tortorella himself advocated for recalling Kolosov during this period, suggesting that the move was intended to bolster the Flyers’ roster and address immediate needs in net.
Kolosov earned a recall, and it was to my understanding before he went to back to Lehigh for this last stint that he indeed loved playing in Lehigh. It was only getting better for him, when a Russian in Nikita Grebenkin joined the Phantoms.
What has been a bit perplexing, and possibly the weirdest situation of the 2024-25 season for the Flyers was their handling/usage of Kolosov. Just strange recalls all season long, coupled with using their last recall on him.
The Timing and Tortorella’s Firing
Tortorella was fired on March 27, just two days after Kolosov’s recall. This close proximity might suggest a connection, but there’s no clear evidence to support this. The Flyers lost heavily (7-2) to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 26, a game that likely intensified scrutiny on Tortorella. However, Kolosov did not play in that game—Samuel Ersson or Fedotov would have been in net. Tortorella’s dismissal appears to stem from broader issues, including the team’s poor performance, strategic disagreements with management, and a reported incident involving player Cam York, rather than the specific decision to recall Kolosov.
Briere also said he could not go into much detail about the situation with Kolosov. So on the surface it leaves one to ponder what’s next? Are the rumors true of him heading back to the KHL for the 2025-26 season? This are great questions that no one has an answer to, but Flyers management.
Personally, I do not believe he will back between the pipes for the orange and black next season, nor the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Briere said at his exit interview that they may possibly look at outside help for Goaltending, and to me that signals the end of Kolosov with the Flyers, regardless of the rumors that are surrounding him.
Ivan Fedotov is currently the Flyers backup Goaltender. He can be shipped to Lehigh if he was waived and cleared waivers, and that could very well transpire next season after Training Camp. Fedotov does not believe that will happen, which is a good mindset, but it’s still a possibility.
The Flyers’ decision to recall Kolosov likely reflects a dual purpose: addressing short-term goaltending needs and giving Kolosov NHL exposure during low-stakes games.
As a young netminder in Kolosov, like most goalies, he needs time to develop. He appeared to be confident moving laterally from post to post well in his last stint in Lehigh, and Kolosov appeared to make the hard saves look routine. Kolosov just needed time to develop.
The Flyers were doomed for the playoffs once again for a fifth consecutive season. Obviously, they need to improve the Goaltending situation in the future, in order to establish some sort of relevancy again. For the past two seasons, the Goaltending has let the team down big time when it needed it the most. Was that the only problem this past season? Heck no, there were more wrongs than rights, but it still was a let down.
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I’d love a Fedotov/Kolosov tandem on the Phantoms. The only way they’ll acclimate to North American hockey is by playing. Being stapled to the bench, or sitting in the press box, at the NHL level is not going to help anybody.