ICYMI: Flyers Sign Wilson to One-Year Deal, Loan Kolosov to AHL

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced a couple of moves ahead of their regular season opener on Wednesday as they’ve signed forward Garrett Wilson to a one-year, two-way NHL contract and loaned goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Wilson’s signing has a lot to do with how the organization values the veteran forward. He has been a focal point in the lineup for the Phantoms since 2020-21, playing in 341 games and collecting 148 points in those 6 seasons.

For his efforts, he’s also been the captain for the Phantoms since 2023 and is also the longest-tenured player in franchise history. He appeared in his first NHL game this past season since being a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019.

The 35-year-old will likely reprise his role with the Phantoms for the duration of the season unless injuries take a toll on the Flyers roster. With Nicolas Deslauriers no longer on the team, Wilson’s physicality is his strong suit with 761 PIM in his last 5 seasons.

As for Kolosov, his demotion to the minors signals that Dan Vladař should be ready for the season opener after he exited with an injury this past week. Kolosov was not at his best during the two preseason games that he featured in, allowing 9 goals on 42 shots, including 5 in last night’s loss to a Washington Capitals team that dressed AHLers and prospects.

The clock is starting to tick away for the Belarusian who has yet to make his mark for either the Phantoms or the Flyers. After going 5-6-1 with a .884 SV% in 12 games for the Phantoms in 2024-25, he went 15-21-2 in 38 games in 2025-26 with a .895 SV% and a 2.98 GAA.

At the NHL level, the 24-year-old has sported a 5-11-1 record with a .863 SV% and a 3.64 GAA in 21 games, including 8 goals allowed on 120 shots in 4 games last season. However, Kolosov will likely return to the NHL should either goaltender get hurt, considering their lack of depth at the position.

The Flyers open the season on a back-to-back so that would allow both Vladař and Joseph Woll to both get early opportunities. It’s unclear who will get the first game, but considering Vladař has been seen practicing, the Czechia native should be in store to open the season against the Penguins.