Ivan Ivan (ice hockey)
| Ivan Ivan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
20 August 2002 Ostrava, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | Colorado Avalanche | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2023–present | ||
Ivan Ivan (born 20 August 2002) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
[edit]As a youth, Ivan played ice hockey for the club HC Vítkovice Ridera.[1] He was a member of the U16 team from 2015 to 2018, appearing in 67 games and scoring 65 points (37 goals, 28 assists).[1] He was promoted to the U18 team during the 2017–18 season and appeared in 14 games, registering six points (three goals, three assists).[1] During 2018–19, he was a member of the U19 squad and scored 39 points in 43 appearances, also making one appearance in the Czech fourth-tier with HC Bohumín on a loan.[1]
Ivan moved to North America in 2019, playing the 2019–20 season with the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).[2] After playing 62 games and scoring 22 points for the Eagles, he returned to Czechia during the COVID-19 pandemic and appeared in five games in the Czech second-tier for AZ Havířov.[2][3] Ivan then went back to Canada for the 2021–22 season, being the leading point scorer (65), goal scorer (31) and joint-assist scorer (34) for the Eagles in 61 games played.[4] In 2022–23, Ivan led the Eagles in all three categories, having a career-best 90 points, 33 goals and 57 assists in 64 games, being among the top ten in the QMJHL in points and assists.[5] He concluded his Eagles career with 191 regular season games played, 177 points, 75 goals and 102 assists.[5]
Ivan was not selected in the NHL entry draft.[4] He turned professional in 2023, signing a contract with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League (AHL).[6] He appeared in 67 games and registered 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists).[1] On 5 March 2024, he signed a two-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL).[7] Although initially re-assigned to the Eagles for the 2024–25 season, he was recalled from the AHL prior to Opening Night.[8][9]
International career
[edit]Ivan played for the Czech under-17 national team in 2018–19.[1] He competed at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2019–20 and later for the Czech U20 national team at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[4][5]
Personal life
[edit]Ivan was born on 20 August 2002 in Ostrava, Czech Republic.[10] Both his father and brother each played hockey.[1] He told ColoradoEagles.com the origin of his name: "My dad's name is Marek, and his last name is Ivan. Since Marek and Ivan are both first names, people were always wondering whether his name was Marek or Ivan, so he made it easier for me. I like it and it’s special because there are not many people with my name."[6] He grew up an Avalanche fan in Czechia after playing as them on a PlayStation hockey video game.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Ivan Ivan". EliteProspects.com.
- ^ a b "Ivan podepsal v NHL dvouletou smlouvu s Colorado Avalanche" [Ivan signed a two-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL]. idnes.cz (in Czech). 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Ivan Ivan Hockey Stats". hockeydb.com.
- ^ a b c Murphy, Bryan (13 August 2022). "Who is Ivan Ivan? Meet the Czech forward with one of the best names at the 2022 World Juniors". The Sporting News.
- ^ a b c Meyer, Mike (6 March 2024). "Avalanche sign forward Ivan Ivan to 2-year deal". The Hockey News.
- ^ a b Boldrin, Nicole (7 February 2024). "Ivan Ivan from Pixels to Pucks". Colorado Eagles.
- ^ "Avalanche Sign Ivan Ivan". National Hockey League. 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Avalanche's Ivan Ivan: Reassigned to AHL". CBS Sports. RotoWire. 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Avalanche's Ivan Ivan: Recalled from minors". CBS Sports. RotoWire. 8 October 2024.
- ^ "Ivan Ivan Stats". Hockey-Reference.com.
- ^ Maeir, Cody (2 October 2024). "Ivan Ivan: From Avalanche Fan to Avalanche Player". National Hockey League.