Aleksei Kolosov played so poorly in the Philadelphia Flyers’ final preseason game on Saturday night that his chances for any NHL role are likely gone for a very long time. The Flyers dropped a disheartening 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, with Kolosov in net for all 60 minutes, showcasing a performance that could realistically end a player’s NHL career before it even truly begins.
A Preseason Nightmare Unfolds
This wasn’t just some rookie scrimmage. The Flyers iced almost a full NHL lineup against the Capitals, with essentially everyone in their normal spots. The only exceptions were Garrett Wilson, who was sent back down to Lehigh Valley Phantoms training camp to lead in the AHL, and, of course, Kolosov between the pipes. Despite having so much established talent around him, the team suffered that ugly 5-1 defeat. Sure, it’s just preseason so the loss itself doesn’t matter, but the individual showing from Kolosov? That absolutely matters. Preseason is a testing ground, a chance to hold onto hope, but it also reveals hard truths. For Kolosov, that truth was brutal.
Blame Game: Whose Fault Was It?
Funny enough, the Flyers were actually in control for most of Saturday’s game. They were absolutely running up the shot counter, looking nothing like the defensively focused Rick Tocchet team from last year. Matvei Michkov was shining, continuing his return to form, Jamie Drysdale looked great stepping into a bigger role, and even some quieter preseason players like Owen Tippett were starting to pop off a little. But then the game completely unraveled, largely due to Kolosov. The Capitals’ lead goal in the second period was terrible. You can lay a lot of blame on David Jiricek for a blind, no-look pass in his own end, even if Christian Dvorak took an unexpected route. But Kolosov, man, he just couldn’t make a fairly normal save. The Capitals player skated into the puck and one-timed it, and the puck just sailed in. Kolosov didn’t lose track of it, he stayed focused, but he simply couldn’t physically make the needed save. That’s a save an NHL goaltender needs to make like it’s nothing. And it wasn’t even the worst of it. The Capitals’ third goal was another fairly predictable play, and the puck just phased right through Kolosov and into the back of the net.
This kind of night makes you wonder what’s next. If Kolosov wants any shot at remaining in the NHL for more than just some extreme emergency call-up, he needs to be making those saves in his sleep. Right now, it looks like this one disastrous night on September 27, 2026, has firmly played him right out of the Flyers’ plans.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
Leave a Reply