As you might be able to tell, Fedotov is rolling with the punches that the NHL life can bring you, and the good news is he feels like he’s ended up in the right place for his hockey career. If his first appearance in Union Blue is any indication, he may be right, as Fedotov stopped 14 of 15 shots in the Jackets’ preseason-opening win Sunday vs. St. Louis; he will get another chance to show his game tonight in Buffalo.
A decorated goalie in his native Russia, with a Gagarin Cup championship and Olympic medal to his credit, Fedotov battled through a difficult first full NHL season a year ago as he adjusted to the style of play. Now, in a new location and with an offseason of preparation behind him – and a ton of knowledge gained from a season ago – he feels he'll be able to show what he can do at the NHL level.
“I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on myself,” Fedotov said. “The one thing for me right now, I feel different. I feel different than last year, different than a couple of years ago after this summer. I did a really good job with mind-set and everything. I had a lot of time when I was able to analyze everything, how was it so far after the first year, and I am definitely sure I’m on the right way right now.”
The towering 6-7 netminder was available because last year was a struggle, one in which Fedotov went from being hailed as the potential answer in net for the Flyers to an expendable piece. Competing with two other goalies while trying to adjust to the North American game in his first full NHL season, the 28-year-old Russian never really got untracked.
He boasted a career .921 save percentage at the KHL level in 133 games over eight seasons, but not much clicked a season ago, as Fedotov went 6-13-4 with a 3.15 GAA and .880 save percentage in 26 games for the Flyers.
Fedotov stayed in the Philadelphia area this summer to work on his game as he tried to put the lessons from last season into practice, but circumstances led to him becoming a Blue Jacket. The Flyers signed veteran Dan Vladar this offseason, and the Blue Jackets were looking to add an experienced goalie to add to the depth chart along with Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves. The end result was a deal nine days ago in which the Blue Jackets sent a sixth-round pick to the Flyers for Fedotov.
Philadelphia originally drafted Fedotov in the seventh round of the 2015 draft and stuck with him through a bevy of ups and downs, but now with Columbus, Fedotov sees the trade as the potential for a reset.
“I have appreciation for the Flyers,” Fedotov said. “They did a lot for me and my family, especially in what was the tough times, but that’s part of the business for sure. I am glad to be here, and I knew Columbus had interest. It’s a really good spot. Now I feel like after a couple really good days, one week ago from when I came, guys were really welcoming and that’s awesome.
“That’s what I need, to feel free, to take a breath and just get a new start here.”
He already has a built-in support system on his new squad, as he’s known several of the Jackets’ Russian players, including Kirill Marchenko, for years. Fedotov said that he’s been welcomed by everyone on the squad, but having some familiar faces can only help.
“I’ve known him a really long time, I’d say five or six years for sure,” Marchenko said. “He is a good guy. I’ll try to help him here, and we have a good chemistry too right now because we can speak in the Russian language and I can do something for him. The Russian guys who have been here for a long time can just help him to play better and feel better on the team. That’s our work right now.”
So far, it’s fair to say he’s fit in swimmingly, and head coach Dean Evason has noticed that Fedotov brings intangibles to the squad.
“I’ve just observed how he’s been around the guys,” Evason said after Sunday’s game. “He’s ingrained with the group right away in the gym, and then what we’ve noticed and/or made account of is his work ethic. He’s worked, and that’s two obviously really good signs. To see how he played the game tonight was real good, too.”
The next steps are building consistency and staying the course, and Fedotov also faces the reality of math when it comes to making the CBJ roster out of the gate, as he’s one of three goalies on a one-way contract along with Merzlikins and Greaves.
To worry about how that all of that might shake out, though, would be folly. He has bigger fish to fry, starting with a baby on the way. He’s realized all he can do is learn from past experiences and try to be the best version of himself with the Blue Jackets.
“I got a lot of experience from the last year; it was good moments and bad moments,” Fedotov said. “I had a lot of different things, inside, outside, that make you more stronger with your mind-set. When you feel uncomfortable, when you feel comfortable, how you have to get your mind-set sharp, how you have to find a way to get back when you feel bad, stuff like that. Every experience, good or bad, that’s good (to have).”
