| Ivan Provorov | |||
|---|---|---|---|
_(49623957056)_(cropped).jpg) Provorov with thePhiladelphia Flyers in 2020 | |||
| Born | (1997-01-13)13 January 1997 (age 29) Yaroslavl, Russia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams | Columbus Blue Jackets Philadelphia Flyers | ||
| National team |  Russia | ||
| NHL draft | 7th overall,2015 Philadelphia Flyers | ||
| Playing career | 2016–present | ||
Ivan Vladimirovich Provorov (Russian:Иван Владимирович Проворов; born 13 January 1997) is a Russian professionalice hockey player who is adefenceman for theColumbus Blue Jackets of theNational Hockey League (NHL). He previously played in the NHL for thePhiladelphia Flyers.
Provorov was born inYaroslavl, Russia, and played with theYaroslavl Lokomotivyouth hockey team before moving toWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania at the age of 13 to play with the juniorWilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. After two years with the Knights and one with theCedar Rapids RoughRiders of theUnited States Hockey League, theBrandon Wheat Kings of theWestern Hockey League selected Provorov 30th overall in the 2014CHL Import Draft. In 2016, the WHL awarded Provorov theBill Hunter Memorial Trophy, given annually to the best defenceman in the league. Internationally, Provorov has representedRussia at theIIHF World U18 Championship, theIIHF World U20 Championship, and theIce Hockey World Championships.
The Flyers selected Provorov seventh overall in the2015 NHL entry draft, and he signed anentry-level contract with the team that year. Provorov did not miss a game with the Flyers between 2016 and 2022, and holds the franchise's second-longestiron man streak for most consecutive games played, behind onlyRod Brind'Amour. He is a four-time recipient of theBarry Ashbee Trophy for the best Flyers defenceman, and is the youngest recipient in franchise history.
Provorov was born inYaroslavl, Russia on 13 January 1997,[1] the oldest of three children born to Venera and Vladimir Provorov.[2] He learned to ice skate at the age of five, and grew up playingice hockey with futurePenn State skater Nikita Pavlychev, who said that Provorov "was definitely always standing out among the other kids even when we were growing up".[3][4] After spending time with theYaroslavl Lokomotivyouth hockey team, Provorov made the decision to move to North America, with the eventual goal of joining theNational Hockey League (NHL).[5]
Provorov moved toWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 2011, at the age of 13, to play for the juniorWilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.[6] He lived with abillet family, and learned English by attending private school and watching English-language films and television, such asGladiator.[5][6] Knights assistant coach Alex Vasko, who recruited Provorov, acted as the player's translator when he first arrived in the US.[5] In his first season with the Knights, Provorov recorded 61points in 27 games, and was part of the Tier I 14U national championship team that also included Pavlychev andDaniel Sprong. The next season, he was moved up to the Knights'midget hockey team, where he recorded 97 points in 51 games.[7]
Provorov wasdrafted at the age of 16 by theCedar Rapids RoughRiders of theUnited States Hockey League (USHL) in the first round, fifth overall, of the 2013 USHL futures draft.[3] He played 56 games with the RoughRiders in the 2013-14 season, scoring sixgoals and 13assists.[8] After his rookie season with the RoughRiders, Provorov was selected in two separate amateur drafts. TheBrandon Wheat Kings of theWestern Hockey League (WHL) – a subdivision of theCanadian Hockey League (CHL) – in the 2014CHL Import Draft, while Yaroslavl Lokomotiv selected him 120th overall in the2014 KHL Junior Draft.[3] Originally, Provorov intended to spend two years with Cedar Rapids before playing college hockey for Penn State orMichigan, but he decided to sign with the Wheat Kings after a conversation with general manager and coachKelly McCrimmon.[9]
In January 2015, Provorov was invited to theCHL Top Prospects Game, where he played for Team Orr alongside futurePhiladelphia FlyerTravis Konecny.[10] He ranked first among WHL rookies in scoring during the 2014–15 season, with 15 goals and 61 points in 60 games,[11] and was a finalist for theCHL Top Draft Prospect Award.[12] The following season, in2015–16 Provorov was reassigned to the Wheat Kings, who won theEd Chynoweth Cup but failed to win a single game in the2016 Memorial Cup.[13] He finished the 2015–16 season with 21 goals and 73 points in 62 games, and was named both theWHL Defenceman of the Year and theCHL Defenceman of the Year.[14][15]
Going into the2015 NHL entry draft, theNHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Provorov seventh among all draft prospects. He was the second-highest rateddefenceman, afterNoah Hanifin.[16] The Philadelphia Flyers selected Provorov seventh overall in the draft, and signed him to anentry-level contract shortly afterwards.[17]
After a strong showing at training camp, Provorov was named to the Flyers'2016–17 roster on 10 October 2016, where he was paired with veteran defencemanMark Streit.[18] He made his NHL debut on 14 October 2016, scoring his first point with an assist in the season opener against theLos Angeles Kings.[19] He scored his first NHL goal the next month, in the second period of a 4–2 loss against theTampa Bay Lightning on 23 November.[20] Provorov finished his rookie season with 30 points (six goals and 24 assists) in 82 games with the Flyers.[21] In April 2017, Provorov was awarded theBarry Ashbee Trophy, given to the Flyers' best defenceman. He was the third rookie to win the trophy, followingNorm Barnes in 1980 andShayne Gostisbehere in 2016, and was the youngest winner in Flyers history.[22]
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Provorov began the2017–18 season paired withAndrew MacDonald, but after the latter was placed on theinjured reserve list with a lower body injury, Provorov was partnered withRobert Hägg andShayne Gostisbehere.[23] He improved upon his scoring from the previous year, recording 41 points (17 goals) in 82 games.[21] That year, the Flyers made an appearance in theStanley Cup playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round by thePittsburgh Penguins.[24] Provorov revealed after the playoff series that he had suffered aseparated shoulder prior to Game 6, and had been given painkillers so that he could play in the game. The injury would not require surgery, but required eight weeks to heal.[25]
Provorov struggled at the start of the2018–19 season, leading to speculation that he had not fully recovered from his shoulder injury. In December,Travis Sanheim replaced Gostisbehere as Provorov's partner, a decision which seemed to improve his performance.[26] He had the highest time on ice of any Flyer that season, averaging over 25 minutes of play per game, and playing a total of 2,059 minutes.[27] The Flyers' defence disappointed both offensively and defensively in the 2018–19 season: as a collective, the team allowed 280 goals against them, while no individual defenceman scored 10 or more goals.[28] Most of the blame was placed on Provorov and Gostisbehere, the former of whom netted only seven goals and 26 points across the 82-game season.[21][28]
On 12 September 2019, the Flyers re-signed Provorov to a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension.[29] He entered the2019–20 season on the top defensive pair withMatt Niskanen.[30] When the NHL season was suspended on 12 March due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Provorov had amassed 13 goals and 36 points in all 69 regular season games.[21] He continued practicing during the pause, skating at a private rink in Wilkes-Barre.[31] When the NHL resumed for the2020 Stanley Cup playoffs inToronto, Provorov was one of 31 Flyers selected for the bubble.[32] He scored the winning goal in the second overtime of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, forcing a Game 7 against theNew York Islanders.[33] Provorov was again selected for the Barry Ashbee Trophy in 2020.[34]
On 12 January 2021, the Flyers announced that Provorov would be designatedalternate captain for all home games during the2020–21 season.[35] Niskanen's sudden off-season retirement left Provorov without a defensive partner, and coachAlain Vigneault altered the defensive pairings throughout the season in the hopes of finding a suitable top line.[36] On 18 February 2021, Provorov surpassedClaude Giroux's 328-gameiron man streak when the latter missed a game due toCOVID-19 protocols. Provorov's still-ongoing streak is now the second-longest in Flyers history, behindRod Brind'Amour's 484 consecutive starts from 1993 to 1999.[37][38] The next week, on 24 February, Provorov set the NHL record of 331 consecutive games played by a defenceman from the start of a career for the same team, passing former RangerDan Girardi's record of 330.[39] At the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, Provorov was awarded the Barry Ashbee Trophy for the third time in five seasons. He led the Flyers' defencemen with 26 points in all 55 games of the pandemic-shortened year.[40]
After playing in 403 consecutive NHL games from the start of his career, Provorov was placed in enhanced COVID-19 protocols on 4 January 2022, forcing him to miss that night's game against theAnaheim Ducks and ending his iron man streak short of Brind'Amour's record.[41] Following the 2021–22 season, Provorov was critical of the Philadelphia media when asked about his performance during a disappointing season.[42]
In January 2023, Provorov became embroiled in a controversy when he boycotted pregame warmups which featuredLGBT pride-themed equipment that was later auctioned off to support LGBT organizations. He cited hisRussian Orthodox faith as an explanation for why he was against the initiative to promote the LGBT community, saying: "I respect everybody's choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That's all I'm going to say".[43]
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On 6 June 2023, the Flyers traded Provorov to theColumbus Blue Jackets in a three-team deal also involving theLos Angeles Kings, who retained 30 percent of Provorov's contract.[44]
Scouting reports on Provorov have highlighted his skating ability and control.TSN Hockey declared him an "[e]xcellent, all-around defenseman with good upside", and praised his "excellent skating ability and a penchant for displaying tremendous mobility on the ice".[45] Cory Pronman of ESPN said that he was "a smooth, quiet player who can flash high-end offensive moments too".[46] Tony MacDonald, head of amateur scouting for theCarolina Hurricanes, praised Provorov's "great feel for the game, a great sense and a great understanding of how to play both with and without the puck".[47]
Provorov is also known for his iron man streak. He currently holds the record for most consecutive games played for the same team from the start of a career, and is second to Rod Brind'Amour for longest consecutive game streak in Flyers history.[48] From his debut, Provorov did not miss an NHL game until 4 January 2022, when he entered COVID-19 protocols several hours prior to a game against theAnaheim Ducks.[41] Prior to that date, he had not missed a game of hockey since the age of 10, when he contractedchickenpox and stayed home so as not to infect his teammates.[49] Provorov maintains a training regimen into the summer to maintain his conditioning, and credits his streak to his desire to play, tellingThe Philadelphia Inquirer, "I take pride in being out there every game and trying to help the team any way possible".[50]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sice hockey | ||
| Representing Russia | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2017 Germany/France | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
 | 2015 Canada | |
| 2016 Finland | |
Provorov made his first international appearance at the2014 World U18 Championships, playing forRussia.[51] He next appeared for theRussia junior team at the2015 World Junior Championships, recording an assist in the first game of the preliminary round againstDenmark.[52] Russia came away from the tournament with a silver medal, falling toCanada in the final.[53]
Provorov returned to the Russian team at the2016 World Junior Championships. His goal in the final minutes of the gold medal game againstFinland tied the game 3–3 and forced the match intoovertime. Finland scored shortly into thesudden death round, however, and Russia came away with a silver medal once more.[54] Provorov next appeared at the2017 World Championship, being of one of 10 Flyers' players appearing in the tournament.[55]Russia senior team earned their fourth consecutive World Championship medal, taking the bronze againstFinland.[56]
Due to sanctions imposed on theRussian Athletics Federation following a high-profiledoping scandal, Provorov and other Russian hockey players competed at the2021 World Championship as theRussian Olympic Committee (ROC).[57] Provorov's first point in the tournament came from an assist in the final moments of the group A opener against theCzech Republic.[58] He picked up another assist in the same round againstSwitzerland, helping clinch a playoff berth for the ROC.[59] The Russian team eventually fell toCanada in a quarterfinal overtime match, finishing fifth overall.[57]
Provorov's petGolden Retriever, "Drake the Pup Star", has a dedicated social media presence, with more than 1 million followers onInstagram andTikTok.[60]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2013–14 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | USHL | 56 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 60 | 15 | 46 | 61 | 42 | 19 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 10 | ||
| 2015–16 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | 62 | 21 | 52 | 73 | 16 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 14 | ||
| 2016–17 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 82 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 82 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 82 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 69 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 24 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 2020–21 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 56 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 79 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 82 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 82 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 82 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 696 | 77 | 205 | 282 | 247 | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 4 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Russia | WJC18 | 5th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | Russia | WJC |  | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Russia | WJC | | 7 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2017 | Russia | WC |  | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2021 | ROC | WC | 5th | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 19 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 2 | ||||
| Senior totals | 18 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| WHL | ||
| Ed Chynoweth Cup champion | 2015–16 | [61] |
| Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy | 2015–16 | [14] |
| Philadelphia Flyers | ||
| Barry Ashbee Trophy | 2016–17,2019–20,2020–21,2022-23 | [62][40] |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Philadelphia Flyers first round draft pick 2015 | Succeeded by |