As the NHL and KHL player dilemma began to adjust to the background, one tweet involving a Philadelphia Flyers alumni reminded everyone.
Former Flyers center Michal Handzus announced on Twitter he’s resigning from the Slovakian Hockey Federation:
In his statement, he takes issue with Slovakian hockey players playing in the Kontinental Hockey League and then being allowed to represent their home nation.
For those unfamiliar with the KHL, it includes teams from China, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia. Latvia and Denmark bolstered two rosters before Russia invaded Ukraine but have since left the league.
Many hockey federations have since condemned the action and Handzus is just the latest in a string of current and former players taking issues with the KHL. Additionally, and related to the current Flyers, the saga regarding Ivan Fedotov took a final turn.
Bill Meltzer shared the news Philadelphia dreaded:
He further explains what this will mean for the 25-year-old Finnish goalkeeper:
After being arrested in July, and subsequently falling ill, his future in Philadelphia was cloudy at best. Yesterday at the start of the 2022 Flyers Training Camp, Chuck Fletcher gave little hope the situation would improve:
“He has to fulfill a commitment back in Russia. There’s not much influence we can have on the situation. I’ll just leave it that he has to fulfill his commitment in Russia. Obviously, he has a contract with us. But, you know, we’ll just let things play out.”
Chuck Fletcher; 9/22/2022
The situation with players in the KHL will continue to be monitored as the league is still considered one of the best in terms of prospects. As the war with Ukraine continues, the future of players hoping to play in the NHL and for their countries becomes increasingly challenged.
(Mandatory Credit: Shelly Castellano/Icon SM)
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