Flyers sign Russian defenseman Medvedev

After yet another World Championship, the Flyers seem to have found an international addition to their roster.

The Flyers signed Russian defenseman Yevgeni Medvedev to a one-year deal on Wednesday, already upping their total number of defensemen to eight for the upcoming season - not including restricted free agent Michael Del Zotto.

According to Chris Johnston of Rogers Sportsnet, Medvedev will earn $3 million next season from the Flyers.

Medvedev, 32, has never played in North America. He's spent the last eight years playing for Ak Bars Kazan in Tartarstan, part of the KHL, including the last two seasons when he was an alternate captain.

Medvedev also has extensive experience representing Russia on the world stage. He won a silver medal with the Russian Federation at the 2014 Sochi Olympics on home soil and owns two World Championship gold medals (2012 & 2014). He also helped Ak Bars Kazan to two KHL championships.

Wednesday's signing of Medvedev only increases the chances at least one of the Flyers' current defensemen are moved prior to July 1. The Flyers have Mark Streit, Andrew MacDonald, Nick Schultz, Nick Grossmann, Luke Schenn, Brandon Manning, Radko Gudas, Medvedev and RFA Del Zotto.

Not including Chris Pronger, who is still under contract but works for the NHL's Department of Player Safety, the Flyers already have $23.25 million committed to those eight players. Commissioner Gary Bettman projected next year's salary cap to be $71.5 million in April. That means the Flyers are currently spending approximately 32.5 percent of next year's cap on defensemen, not including Del Zotto.

In April, Ron Hextall said he believed the Flyers could come up with a "reasonable" deal for Del Zotto that works for both sides. With Del Zotto in the fold, that would make nine. The saying in hockey is that you can never have enough defensemen. But that would be an awful lot for rookie coach Dave Hakstol to juggle in his first NHL training camp, let alone trying to assess the progress of prospects Shayne Gostisbehere, Travis Sanheim, Samuel Morin and Robert Hagg who will be knocking at the door. 

Schenn, 25, and Grossmann, 30, are entering the final year of their contracts. Manning has a "one-way" contract, but as Oliver Lauridsen showed last year, that means little in terms of a roster spot. His deal can be buried on the Phantoms if necessary.

Medvedev is known as a mobile defender who is a solid passer with a hard shot, according to EliteProspects.com. He is 6-foot-3, so he does have some size, as well. Plus, if Medvedev was good enough to play in all five Olympic contests on home soil, you can bet he is a pretty talented player.

On Twitter: @frank_seravalli