Let’s get it back to the Flyers with a report on goaltender Ivan Fedotov:

Fedotov was drafted by Philly with the 188th overall pick in the 2015 draft and then later signed a one-year, entry level deal ahead of the 2022-2023 season. Soon after, he was detained in his native Russia and accused of evading military service. It was near-impossible to confirm the legitimacy anything reported about Fedotov, but he did not play this past season and remains contracted to CSKA Moscow.

The short explanation here is that the Flyers are asking the International Ice Hockey Federation to step in and decide which contract is currently valid – the CSKA contract or NHL contract. In this case, the usage of the word “tolled” refers to a suspension of the statute of limitations, like a delay or a pause. The Flyers’ stance is that because Fedotov missed the season for military service, the one-year NHL contract was never fulfilled and thus has not expired.

It’s up to the IIHF to decide what happens next. Fedotov is very good and would immediately compete for a spot here.

Of course, even if the IIHF rules in the Flyers’ favor, Russia could pull some bullshit again, which is a legitimate concern. Can’t trust ’em, but I’d offer them a deal – you send Fedotov to Philly and we’ll return Putin-lover Ovechkin to the motherland.