Philadelphia Flyers Goaltender Yegor Zavragin Raises His KHL Stock – Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers currently already have two Russian-speaking goaltenders in Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov, but they could soon be joined by a third man – Yegor Zavragin. The young netminder emerged as the starting goalkeeper for SKA St. In this translated interview, the Flyers draftee talks about the early stages of his career, from HC Sochi to SKA, and his plans for the near future.

** You can enjoy the original story in Russian on the official MHL website here **

The closure of Sochi and the move to SKA

On September 9, 2024, 19-year-old Zavragin made his KHL debut in Sochi. The team could not get a road win against HC Vityaz (4:5), but Zavragin left a good impression on his career. Humbly in the middle of the game, he allowed two goals and posted a .935 save percentage. Zavragin joined Sochi on loan from SKA, where he competed with fellow goalkeeper Sergei Ivanov. Although Ivanov was initially seen as the main netminder, Zavragin soon claimed the majority of the ice time.

In all, Zavragin played six games for Sochi, with three outstanding championships. Against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the leader of the league, despite the loss of Sochi (1: 3), he stopped 92.5 percent of the shots. Three days later, he recorded his first KHL shutout, a 1:0 win over Severstal Cherepovets. In his last Sochi game, Zavragin posted a .953 save percentage in a 3:2 win over Dinamo Minsk. During the month with Sochi, he posted impressive statistics: a .941 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average. Unsurprisingly, SKA chose to bring him back.

A Confident Start in St

Zavragin officially joined SKA in May 2024, as part of a trade with the Supreme Hockey League's (VHL) HC Yugra. However, it was clear that Zavragin would start the season on loan with Sochi. “I think it was no secret that I would start the season with Sochi,” said Zavragin. “With all due respect to Yugra, this was my chance to play at the KHL level. Sooner or later, I had to take that step forward. If the opportunity comes now, why wait? Of course, I could have stayed another year in the VHL, but at my age, it's better to leave early.”

Rumors of Zavragin's return to SKA appeared in early October. Soon after, it was officially announced that his contract with Sochi was terminated, and he rejoined SKA. Head coach Roman Rotenberg was full of praise for the young goalkeeper: “He reminds me of Ilya Nabokov, who was developed by. [the Metallurg Magnitogorsk] and led them to the Gagarin Cup. He is tall and strong (6-foot-2, 183 lbs.), works hard, and has a great personality. Yes, he is still young, but other young players are developing quickly with determination. Zavragin has a bright future. Despite his age, he is strong and knows the value of hard work. We have high hopes for him and expect him to get a lot of playing time with SKA.”

This is Zavragin's place Quick Ascension with SKA

Zavragin's trajectory with SKA developed rapidly. On October 9, his return to the team was announced, and the next day, he was on the bench against Dinamo. Zavragin's start was a mixed bag—he replaced Artemi Pleshkov, who had allowed three goals, and conceded one in just 12 minutes of play. Nevertheless, his performance earned him a starting role in SKA's next game, a strong 5:2 win over Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, where Zavragin stopped 94.6 percent of his shots.

After this, Zavragin cemented his place as SKA's starting goalkeeper, going on to win six games in a row. His run was stopped by Lokomotiv (3:2), a team he had already faced at the beginning of the season. Through 12 games, his stats remained impressive: a .923 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average.

“Yegor has no weak points. Maybe you've done it before, but that's what our coaching staff is all about. We work hard with our goalkeepers,” said Rotenberg. Like all SKA goalkeepers, Zavragin did not avoid mid-match substitutions. This happened against Sochi (2: 5), where he allowed two goals before being replaced by Pavel Moysevich. Despite the loss, Zavragin started the next game against Avangard Omsk. For his part, Zavragin takes these decisions without hesitation: “It's the coach's call—it's not a debate.” If they say come in, you come in and play. You have to be ready all the time.”

Zavragin's first outing for SKA was a resounding success. The KHL named him Rookie of the Month for October after he posted eight wins in nine games, a .933 save percentage and an impressive 2.06 goals against average.

Move on to Khanty-Mansiysk and Impressive play in the MHL

Those familiar with Yegor Zavragin's time in the Junior Hockey League (MHL) should not be surprised by his strong KHL start. In recent years, he has established himself as one of the best strikers in the league. Zavragin first played for Mamonty Yugry in the 2021-22 season, appearing in 31 games with a .930 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average. Notably, he accumulated 12 penalty minutes in his first season—far more than the two minutes he would accumulate in his entire MHL career.

Related: Flyers' Yegor Zavragin Can Minimize Potential Loss of Alexei Kolosov

His first MHL game, however, was less than ideal. On September 6, 2021, Zavragin allowed two goals in a 0:2 loss to Kuznetskie Medvedi, stopping 86.7 percent of shots. When later asked which worried him more—his first MHL game or his first game in the Kharlamov Cup—he admitted: “The first MHL game worried me the most—I was expected to play the season opener. It didn't happen the way we planned, we ended up failing.”

Zavragin was benched after his first game but made the most of his next opportunity, allowing one goal in his second game. Playing as a goalkeeper in the Mamonty Yugry program was a challenge, as the team was always ranked among the leaders of the Eastern Conference and faced few shots on goal. Staying sharp under such conditions is difficult, yet Zavragin has succeeded – a trait reminiscent of Ilya Sorokin at CSKA Moscow or Daniil Isayev at Lokomotiv. This ability may have contributed to his eventual place with SKA.

In addition to his MHL debut, Zavragin won the Russian Championship Final with Yugra-YUKIOR. Interestingly, his MHL career took off the following season, dropping to 21 of 31 games. However, this allowed him to start at the top level with Yugra in the VHL, where he stopped all three shots he faced in relief.

In his final season in Khanty-Mansiysk, Zavragin played 18 games for Yugra and was named the VHL's Rookie of the Year for 2023-24. Although not entirely a product of Yugra's system, having joined the club at the age of 13, his development at Khanty-Mansiysk laid the foundation for his professional success.

First Trip and Communication in Novosibirsk

Zavragin moved to Khanty-Mansiysk at the beginning of 2018, joining the team born in 2004 at the invitation of the coach who had also moved to the city. “I moved to 2018, either on Jan. 2 or 3. I joined the 2004 team after the coach, who invited me, also moved to Khanty-Mansiysk,” Zavragin recalled.

Born in Novosibirsk, Zavragin grew up as a regular in Sibir Novosibirsk sports. Despite his hockey career taking him far from home, he maintains close ties to his roots, always returning to spend time with family. “I used to go to Siberia games with my father whenever we had free time on weekends, although it was rare. Novosibirsk is my hometown; I live there. During breaks, I always go back to see my family and the people I love,” said Zavragin.

However, as Zavragin's career continues, his visits to Novosibirsk may decrease, with a permanent move to Saint Petersburg in the future. Meanwhile, he has cemented his position in the SKA senior team, showing consistent performances that have earned the coaching staff confidence in him. His mental toughness—a long-standing strength—continues to set him apart. It is not surprising that his name was called during the 2023 election. With Fedotov and Kolosov already on the team, the Flyers may find another Russian-speaking goaltender for their future.