Briere defends Flyers amid Kolosov absence, says time for prospect to ‘step up'

Briere defends Flyers amid Kolosov absence, says time for prospect to ‘step up’ initially appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VOORHEES, N.J. — Danny Briere appeared as perplexed as anybody, even barely peeved because the questions piled up.

The Flyers open 2024 training camp Thursday and potential franchise cornerstone Matvei Michkov has arrived two years ahead of schedule. The crew contended for the playoffs final season all the way up to Game 82 without losing sight of its rebuild.

However, understandably and inevitably, the opening matter of debate Tuesday revolved round a participant who wasn’t right here.

Alexei Kolosov, one of many Flyers’ greatest goaltending prospects, didn’t attend rookie camp and will not be in primary camp, both. A puzzling situation that has brewed since May primarily got here to a head at Briere’s press convention.

And the final supervisor was blunt. Robust in charge him.

“All we all know is he is beneath contract with us,” Briere stated. “The best way we see it, if he desires to play hockey, he has to respect his contract.”

The 2021 third-round decide from Belarus signed his three-year entry-level contract in July 2023. He performed final season on mortgage within the KHL, Russia’s prime professional league, along with his membership Dinamo Minsk. After showing in 53 video games, together with the playoffs, Kolosov joined the Flyers’ AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley at first of April.

The Flyers felt the 22-year-old spending a month-plus with the Phantoms would assist his full-time transition to North America in 2024-25. However apparently the plan did not go as deliberate.

“For us, we now have little interest in loaning him again, we wish him to develop right here,” Briere stated. “There’s an awesome alternative in entrance for our goalies proper now. We have now younger goalies in internet, we now have Cal Petersen that is combating for a spot, as properly. We simply thought it could be an awesome alternative for him right now. It is too dangerous that he isn’t keen to come back over.”

In Could, 5 days after Lehigh Valley was knocked out of the playoffs, Belarushockey.com reported that Kolosov presumably wished to return to the KHL for the 2024-25 season due to issues adapting to North America. On the time, the Flyers believed that he had been homesick, in response to a supply, however had been hopeful he’d be OK come coaching camp. Tony Androckitis of InsideAHLHockey.com reported in July that Kolosov felt “remoted.”

“To be sincere, like, possibly I am the worst coach on the planet, however I make individuals round me comfy,” Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere said Monday. “I am a pleasant man, you guys have identified me for 15 years.

“It was a troublesome spot for him, however guys requested him to exit each night time for dinner, he stated no.”

When European gamers chase their NHL desires in North America, it is a problem. They have to alter to a distinct tradition and language. Kolosov does not converse English and Lehigh Valley did not have a participant on its roster from Russia. Each the Flyers and Phantoms had been within the warmth of playoff races. Briere understood if Kolosov battled homesickness however the GM defended Lehigh Valley’s management group and training employees.

“I’ve to say one thing about that as a result of a few of our gamers and coaches and improvement guys went above and past to attempt to assist him combine with the crew,” Briere stated. “I really feel dangerous for a few of the leaders, Garrett Wilson particularly, Louie Belpedio and I may go on and on. These guys went out of their option to attempt to assist him slot in, they’d ask him to go to dinner and stuff like that.

“I talked to a few of the guys they usually all stated that he was nice, he was nice across the rink, they preferred him as an individual. I simply need to make that clear on the market with all of the rumors, there did not appear to be any points and I imagine within the management of these guys. Identical factor with our coaches.

“You’ve got Jason Smith and Ian Laperriere, two of the best leaders who would do something for his or her teammates, on the teaching employees. So while you hear issues like that, you need to take it with a grain of salt just a little bit.”

The Flyers’ goaltending image within the current and future is much from sacrosanct. It oozes with alternative. Kolosov was projected to open this season with the Phantoms and would have performed loads alongside Petersen. Relying on the efficiency and well being of the Flyers’ Samuel Ersson-Ivan Fedotov tandem, Kolosov had a shot at his NHL debut.

“Most groups across the league use their third goalie or fourth goalie,” Briere stated. “He’d be in a contest with the blokes that we now have to play some video games this yr. I believe on his finish, it is extra about he desires to be assured a spot within the NHL. If not, he prefers to remain over there. And that is not the way in which we see it.

“We agreed final yr to mortgage him again for one yr as a result of he wished to remain dwelling. However sooner or later, you signal a contract, we wish him right here, we wish him to start out integrating himself into the sport the way in which it is performed right here in North America, with the smaller ice, studying the language and all of that.”

The Flyers appear to have a flickering hope that Kolosov would possibly finally change his thoughts and need to come again over. However this all seems precarious at greatest. One has to significantly surprise if this may ever be mended, if Kolosov will ever play for the Flyers.

“We do surprise at this level as a result of he does not present that he desires to come back,” Briere stated. “That was the understanding final yr when he signed the contract, he requested us to mortgage him again for one yr so he can hold growing yet one more yr after which he would come over. After which we’re right here now and he is nonetheless saying the identical factor. … It is time for him to step up and respect the contract that he signed.”

The Kolosov improvement comes eight months after the Flyers had been forced to trade Cutter Gauthier in January as a result of the 2022 fifth general decide did not want to play for the organization.

“We’re all the time taking a look at ourselves and seeing how we are able to do higher,” Briere stated. “However remember, we’re speaking about two guys from the surface. After I take a look at the tradition that we’re constructing right here on the within, the gamers which can be on the within, they need to be right here.”

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