Former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula has been suspended by the Pittsburgh Penguins organization before even playing a game for his new team. On Saturday, the AHL transaction log showed that Zamula, 25, was suspended by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Since being traded from Philadelphia on December 31, Zamula has not yet appeared in any games and is reportedly refusing to report to the Penguins. The transaction log also noted that Zamula was officially listed as a Wilkes-Barre player the same day he was traded.
According to NHL Insider Frank Seravalli, Zamula’s suspension is due to his failure to report to the team. Interestingly, the undrafted Russian recently changed agents to Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, shortly after the Flyers assigned him to the AHL. It appears the Flyers aimed to secure him a chance to play in the NHL, but the Penguins have not offered that opportunity immediately.
Earlier in the season, Zamula was benched after struggling in the first two games, which led to criticism from his agent towards the Flyers. Zamula’s camp suggested a mutual contract release as a possible solution, but the Flyers preferred to trade him, acquiring Phil Tomasino in return. However, Zamula and his new agent seem dissatisfied with the trade outcome.
A similar case occurred earlier this season when Penguins prospect Emil Pieniniemi was suspended for refusing to report to the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, though that suspension was later lifted. Zamula has one year left on his contract with a $1.7 million cap hit and will become a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.
Fan Take: This situation highlights ongoing player-team conflicts in professional hockey, emphasizing the challenges players face when navigating trades and assignments. For fans, it raises questions about player agency and team management strategies, potentially influencing how future contracts and trades are handled.
