PHILADELPHIA — Aleksei Kolosov made his debut in the NHL on Sunday, playing as the starting goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers against the Montreal Canadiens. This appearance marks a significant milestone, as he is recognized as the first Belarusian goaltender to take the ice as a starter in the league.

The 22-year-old Kolosov was called up by the Flyers just a day before his debut. The team’s goaltending situation has been inconsistent, with both starter Samuel Ersson and backup Ivan Fedotov struggling to deliver the needed performances. Flyers coach John Tortorella expressed his dissatisfaction with Fedotov ahead of the game, stating, “Ivan hasn’t played well enough. We’re trying to solve, trying to look at the situation and see where it goes.”

Kolosov was drafted in the third round by the Flyers in 2021. He played four seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before making his North American debut late last season, where he got in two games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ AHL affiliate.

This past summer was filled with challenges for Kolosov and the organization. Initially, he opted out of attending the Flyers’ rookie camp in July and later chose not to report for the start of training camp, expressing a reluctance to play in the AHL again. Through his agent, he communicated a desire to either be in the NHL or be loaned back to his team in Minsk within the KHL. When the Flyers declined the loan option, it led to a brief stalemate until Kolosov ultimately agreed to join the team just before training camp concluded. He played in a single preseason matchup with the Flyers before being assigned back to Lehigh Valley.

An understanding was reached before he reported for the AHL season that Kolosov would receive an opportunity in the NHL during the current campaign. That moment arrived in game nine for Philadelphia.

The Flyers are optimistic that Kolosov has moved past the issues from the previous season and the complications that arose during the summer. They believe he has adjusted better after a few weeks in the AHL. Tortorella remarked, “As far as attitude and where Kolosov’s mind is right now, we have gotten good reports as far as how he has gone about his business down there.”

Before his recall, Kolosov started four games with the Phantoms, showcasing a goals-against average of 3.29 and a save percentage of 0.875. He is expected to continue to develop as he gains more experience in the NHL.