The contract signed by the Russian goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov with the Continental Hockey League club CSKA does not breach the agreement with the National Hockey League club Philadelphia, since the American team previously held no enforceable restrictions after the contract expired. This was stated by CSKA officials during a discussion with Match TV.
According to CSKA officials, the KHL handled the Fedotov situation with precision and transparency. The league concluded that Fedotov was free to pursue options after his deal with Philadelphia had ended, and this formed the basis for the CSKA contract continuation for the 2022/23 season.
The head of CSKA highlighted that the league conducted a thorough legal review of NHL documents. After a meticulous point-by-point comparison, the KHL action was confirmed as compliant with existing agreements. The key finding was that Fedotov, whose Philadelphia contract had reached its natural end, faced no legal barriers to signing with CSKA for the subsequent season.
In summarizing the outcome, the CSKA representative stressed that the KHL conducted itself in a professional and transparent manner throughout the process.
The CSKA president also thanked the Russian Ice Hockey Federation for its role, noting that all parties were cooperating closely to manage the situation.
On Saturday, July 8, CSKA’s press service announced the signing of a contract with the Russian goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov. The NHL subsequently issued a response indicating that the move violated the terms of Fedotovs Philadelphia agreement, a stance that CSKA and the federation addressed through ongoing dialogue and review with league authorities.