Aleksei Kolosov, a 22-year-old goalie from Belarus, recently made history by becoming the first Belarusian goalie to start an NHL game for the Philadelphia Flyers. Kolosov was called up by the Flyers and immediately put into the lineup as the starting goalie against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Flyers had been struggling with inconsistent goaltending from their starters, Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov. Head coach John Tortorella expressed his dissatisfaction with Fedotov’s performance, leading to Kolosov being given the opportunity to start.
Kolosov was drafted by the Flyers in the third round in 2021 and had previously played in the KHL before coming to North America. Despite some challenges during the summer, including disagreements about playing in the AHL, Kolosov eventually reported to the Flyers and played in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before being called up to the NHL.
Tortorella mentioned that Kolosov had shown improvement in his attitude and performance during his time in the AHL, which ultimately led to his NHL debut. Kolosov had played four games with the Phantoms, posting a 3.29 goals-against average and an 0.875 save percentage.
The Flyers had high hopes for Kolosov and believed that he had overcome the challenges he faced earlier in the season. Despite a rocky start, Kolosov’s determination and hard work paid off as he made his mark in NHL history as the first Belarusian goalie to start a game for the Flyers.