Top Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has had a trying first full season playing in North America.
At one moment, Kolosov became the first Belarusian goalie to play in an NHL game. Next, Kolosov also won his first NHL game.
Then, Kolosov allowed 15 goals across his last three starts for the Flyers. It was back to the AHL just weeks after climbing his way up the depth chart to become the Flyers’ backup goalie.
Fortunately, Kolosov is not alone in this battle. He has a friend within the Metropolitan Division-Washington Capitals forward, fellow countryman, and former Dinamo Minsk teammate Aliaksei Protas–willing to lend an ear and offer some advice if needed. He’s been there and done that.
“I try not to give out tips if they don’t ask me for them. Therefore, if [Kolosov] turns to me, of course, I will help him. But to intervene and get involved somewhere, not knowing the situation, I consider it wrong,” Protas told Sport-Express. “Lesha himself knows what he needs and is important, and I am always ready to help him if necessary.”
Protas himself was once a promising third-round pick out of Belarus, like Kolosov, only to achieve middling results in the early goings of his NHL career.
Before the 2024-25 season, the hulking 6-foot-6 forward had managed to score only 13 goals, 40 assists, and 53 points in 169 regular season games with the Capitals.
Translation: NHL prospects often take time to find their stride, and not all development paths are linear. This is especially true for goalies; the Flyers should know this better than most.
“I still adapt to [the NHL pace]. I try to develop, I know what to improve, and I understand how much more work is ahead,” Protas said. “After each game, I see that there is something to develop in. There is still a lot to the ceiling, so you need to work and work.”
Now 24 years old, nearly six years removed from draft night with over 200 NHL games under his belt, Protas has exploded for 29 goals, 30 assists, and 59 points and counting in 67 games with the Capitals this season.
For Kolosov, it might be wise to lean on his fellow Belarusians, like Protas, Vladislav Kolyachonok, and Yegor Sharangovich, for example, and take something from each of them.
Protas says the Belarusians connect with each other “As much as possible. We try to talk before or after the games.”
Since being returned to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms again on March 6, Kolosov has played three games, winning two and stopping 65 of 72 shots for a .902 aggregate save percentage.
In 15 games with the Flyers, Kolosov was only 4-8-1 with a 3.45 GAA and .870 save percentage, so there is still work to be done. At the same time, we all saw flashes of potential. If Protas’s journey so far tells us anything, patience is a virtue.
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