The Calgary Flames are the leading candidates to sign former Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Ivan Prosvetov, according to a new report by Russian outlet Sport-Express.

Prosvetov, 26, spent the 2024-25 season with KHL club CSKA Moscow, posting a 20-16-2 record, four shutouts, and a .920 save percentage in 38 games. He also appeared in five playoff contests with the club, going 2-3-0 with a .918, and was named the KHL’s goaltender of the month for November 2024.

A fifth-round pick of the Coyotes in 2018, Prosvetov left North America after the 2023-24 season to sign a three-year deal with CSKA. However, both sides agreed on Tuesday to terminate that contract after just one year, opening the door for Prosvetov to return to the NHL. Sport-Express hockey reporter Mikhail Zislis shared the latest scoop on Prosvetov earlier this week, noting that the Flames are the “main contender” to secure Prosvetov’s services for the 2025-26 season.

Prosvetov first arrived in North America in 2016 as a member of the NAHL’s Minnesota Magicians. Following subsequent stints in the USHL and OHL, Prosvetov turned pro in the Coyotes organization in the 2020-21 season and made his NHL debut the same year.

After appearing in 13 NHL games over parts of three seasons in Arizona, Prosvetov found himself on waivers to start the 2023-24 campaign and was claimed by Colorado. He went 4-3-1 with an .895 save percentage in 11 games with the Avs while primarily serving as Alexandar Georgiev’s backup; eventually, Colorado demoted Prosvetov to the AHL in favour of Justus Annunen.

To date, Prosvetov has spent the majority of his professional career in the A, appearing in 146 games with the Tucson Roadrunners and Colorado Eagles. If he does end up signing with the Flames, he’ll be in direct competition with Devin Cooley for the NHL backup role; whoever fails to lock down that gig will likely end up starting for the Calgary Wranglers.

As of Thursday morning, the Flames currently have four goaltenders under contract for next season: Cooley, Dustin Wolf, Arsenii Sergeev, and Owen Say. If Prosvetov joins that group, it could mean one of Sergeev and Say will start the year in the ECHL. It also likely spells the end of Dan Vladar‘s four-year tenure in Calgary.