The Philadelphia Flyers recently offered goaltender Eetu Makiniemi a Professional Tryout Offer for their training camp, which begins on Sept. 18. While it’s not uncommon for teams to add new goalies for training camp, some view this offer as a subtle addition to the ongoing saga with Alexei Kolosov.
Related: Philadelphia Flyers Sign Young Goalie to PTO
There have not been any official updates from either the Flyers or Kolosov’s team regarding the rumors that he does not want to return to the U.S. and would prefer to stay in his native Belarus to play in the KHL.
Kolosov allegedly has been experiencing frustration with being placed in the AHL, along with lack of playing time and homesickness.
Some fans have interpreted this PTO offer as insurance if Kolosov ends up not reporting for training camp.
Flyers GM Danny Briere even admitted on the Nasty Knuckles podcast a few weeks ago that the front office is struggling to get clear answers from Kolosov’s camp.
“Nothing has been said directly to us,” he admitted. “We were trying to get some answers. And, again, Alexei doesn’t speak English, so we can’t just grab the phone and call him. It was tough to get answers from his agent or clear answers.
“We’ve asked the agent, ‘Okay, what’s going on? Can you give us an answer? We want to make sure he is coming.’ But we haven’t had a clear answer at this point.”
Related: The Confusing Offseason Saga Of Flyers’ Alexei Kolosov
If it is true that Kolosov doesn’t wish to return, it doesn’t change the fact that his current contract with the Flyers mandates that he report to training camp.
“We’re hearing all these rumors…but if he wants to play hockey, he has to come over [to the U.S.],” Briere added on the podcast. “He’s under contract with the Flyers. He’s not allowed to play anywhere else. We want him here…In our mind, he has to report.”
Makiniemi, 25, has been with the San Jose Sharks organization for the past two seasons, starting two NHL games. He has spent the majority of his time in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. He has an 8-8-0 record, with a .900 SV% and a 3.14 GAA across 18 games.
Although the Flyers seem to have found a solid goalie tandem in Sam Ersson and Ivan Fedotov, they’ll still be wanting reinforcements that can be called up if necessary during the season. If Kolosov ends up not being available, Maikiniemi is a solid option to fill that slot if he can impress in camp.