Columbus Blue Jackets general manager (GM) Don Waddell was clear all offseason about the need for a third goaltender, and he addressed it earlier this week by acquiring Ivan Fedotov from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The move worked out for both sides, as Philadelphia cleared cap space and eased its goaltending logjam, while Columbus added a reliable number-three goalie capable of handling NHL minutes when needed.
Related: Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers for 2026 Draft Pick
The 28-year-old stands at a massive 6-foot-7, 215 pounds. Last season, he put up a 6-13-4 record with an .880 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.15 goals-against average (GAA) in 26 games with the Flyers. He was drafted by the Flyers in 2015 in the seventh round and finally made it to North America in the 2023-24 season after overcoming multiple obstacles, only playing in three NHL games that season.
Fedotov’s Ceiling and Projection
On media day, Waddell explained what he sees in Fedotov: “Ivan has great size, is athletic for a big goaltender, and will provide our club with additional depth at the position,” said Waddell. “That has been a priority for us during the offseason, and this trade accomplishes that.”
With his size, he has shown a tendency to allow softer goals, but perhaps new scenery can help him improve. He also made significant strides off the ice last season, learning English and now being close to fluent.
Here’s what Dobber Prospects had to say about Fedotov:
“It wasn’t too long ago that he was named the top goaltender in the Kontinental Hockey League during the 2021-22 season. He will battle with Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves for playing time with the Blue Jackets during the 2025-26 season, or could see significant time in the American Hockey League. He is owed just $775,000 in actual salary this season and carries a $3.275 million cap hit. It is a low-risk, high-reward trade for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they are not locked in long term with Fedotov as he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026.”
Fedotov enters the organizational depth chart as the third goaltender, behind the NHL tandem of Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins, and will be ready to step in if one of them is out for a game(s) this season.
Related: Jet Greaves Deserves to Be the Blue Jackets’ Starting Goaltender
Waddell added, “We really liked Ivan. He’s a young NHL player, but an older player, had great numbers in Russia. We felt because of his contract, his cap hit, he was a guy that if he doesn’t make our club I think will be a great insurance policy for us.”
Training Camp Outlook & Waiver Risk
Fedotov will need to clear waivers if he is assigned to the Cleveland Monsters after training camp. He is expected to pass through, as it seems doubtful another team would claim him given his cap hit, though I would not rule it out entirely. There is also the possibility that he makes the NHL roster and the Blue Jackets carry three goalies, but that seems unlikely.
Still, if he truly impresses during camp and the preseason, it could be the safest route to ensure he is not claimed by another team. He should see action in preseason games, with the first coming Sunday, Sep. 21, at 5:00 PM ET, so we will not have to wait long to see how he holds up.
Cap Hit & Contract Details
Nestor Quixtan of Union and Blue explained the cap hit and contract details well: “The Blue Jackets get a $1.15 million break, leaving the team on the hook for $2.13 million of his $3.275 million cap charge. At this point, adding Fedotov’s contract is a luxury the Blue Jackets can afford. Even with the practically dead cap space in Fedotov’s contract, the club still has over $13 million in available cap space.”
Basically, the cap hit is higher than his actual salary, which is just $775,000, meaning that if this doesn’t pan out, the Blue Jackets don’t take much of a loss.
Cleveland’s Goalie Picture
Nolan Lalonde
Nolan Lalonde is set to begin his pro career after finishing last season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Soo Greyhounds, where he played some of his best hockey late in the season. He is most likely to start in the ECHL, similar to Pavel Cajan last season (now overseas), moving up and down from Cleveland when Greaves was recalled to the NHL. Out of the four goaltenders in Cleveland, Lalonde appears the most likely to head to the ECHL due to his development stage.
He also saw action in the NHL Prospects Challenge last week, playing in 1.5 games. On Sept. 13, he stopped 42 of 47 shots in a full outing against the Buffalo Sabres, and two days earlier turned aside 10 of 13 shots in a half-game against the New Jersey Devils.
One thing to note is that the Blue Jackets are not affiliated with an ECHL team. That means whichever netminder heads down could quite literally be anywhere, most likely within close proximity in places like Wheeling, Cincinnati, Indy, Fort Wayne, or Kalamazoo.
Evan Gardner
Evan Gardner signed with Columbus in March after a tough four games in the Western Hockey League (WHL) playoffs, going 0-4 for the Saskatoon Blades. However, he had a strong regular season, posting a 2.82 GAA, .911 SV%, and a 23-13-5 record. After the playoffs, he played one game with Cleveland at the end of the regular season and credited goalie coach Brad Thiessen and Greaves for helping build his confidence during that stretch. He recorded a .842 SV% in that lone losing game.
At the NHL Prospects Challenge, Gardner appeared in 1.5 games (like Lalonde). He faced the Devils on Sept. 11, making 13 saves on 18 shots in a half-game, before bouncing back with an impressive 40-save performance on 44 shots in a full-game win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 14.
“Getting into that game was great for my confidence and kind of reassuring me that I am able to compete at that level right now,” Gardner said. “I got to learn from a guy like Jet, who was lights out to end the season here. To watch him and be around him all the time down there was awesome for me. He was great to me.”
Gardner will push to be the second goalie in Cleveland, with Fedotov as the clear number one if assigned there. However, he could still see time in the ECHL depending on how training camp and the Cleveland goaltending battle unfold.
Zach Sawchenko
Zach Sawchenko has spent his pro career bouncing between the ECHL and American Hockey League (AHL). He signed an extension this offseason and is under contract through the season. Last season, he posted a 3.00 GAA, .900 SV%, and a record of 10-11-7. He will likely remain a reliable AHL option and provide depth for another season.
With Sawchenko, Gardner, Lalonde, and Fedotov all likely in Cleveland, the only goalie who is NHL-ready is Fedotov. That makes him the key insurance policy behind Merzlikins and Greaves.
Looking ahead, Sergei Ivanov, potentially arriving from Russia next season, could be a major development. The Blue Jackets already have depth in the system, and Ivanov could give them another legitimate option at the NHL level if Fedotov does not pan out as hoped.
Columbus addressed its need for a third goaltender, and Fedotov provides the team with size, a wide range of experience, and flexibility in financial terms. Training camp and the preseason will reveal more about his role, but the organization now has the insurance it wanted and the depth it needed at the goaltending position.
