Sometimes it seems like a player is born to play hockey, and there might be some truth to that.
But for Ivan Provorov, his life in the game came through much hard work as much as anything else.
There’s the fact the CBJ defenseman left his home country of Russia full-time at age 14 to chase his dream of playing in the NHL. There’s the fact he’s the first player to arrive at Nationwide Arena for every game, all to make sure he is as prepared as possible for that night’s tilt. And there’s the fact he’s missed only three games in his NHL career, a testament to his durability and passion for the game.
He’s a hockey player through and through, starting from when he first played as a kid in his hometown of Yaroslavl, Russia.
“I played a bunch of different sports growing up, but hockey was always the one sport,” said Provorov, who has three goals, 12 points and a plus-1 rating this season for the Blue Jackets. “I love everything about the game. I enjoy every part of it. Obviously, to be able to do that for a living is awesome.”
And it’s not just Ivan who carries that gene in the Provorov family; his brother, Vladimir, is 11 years younger but hopes to follow in the same footsteps. Just like his older brother, Vladimir has moved to the United States to chase his dream, as the 16-year-old forward plays for the New Jersey Rockets AAA team.
Earlier this week, Vladimir made the announcement that he plans to go the college hockey route – and doing it in Columbus, pledging to join the Ohio State program for the 2027-28 season.
“Obviously, ever since he was born, he’s been fully in hockey mode because I was playing and traveling, and it’s always been on TV,” Ivan said. “He has the same love of the game. He watches all the games like I did and trains extremely hard, and he’s actually an incredible player.
“We have an 11-year (age) difference, but I think he looks up to me. For myself as an older brother, whatever knowledge I have, I try to pass it on. When he has games, I try to watch it and if there’s something to be corrected or encouraged, then obviously I try to do that.”
And as daunting as it may sound to move overseas to chase a career as a teenager, it’s clear the Provorovs have no problem with doing what is best to make it to the highest level. Growing up in the hockey-crazy city of Yaroslavl, home to a KHL team, their father, also named Vladimir, always enjoyed the game.
Now, with two brothers in the sport – one in the NHL, the other trying to get there – Provorov said they’re one of those families “that hockey is like a second religion.” As Provorov describes it, making it to the NHL was a goal that required him to put in whatever it took to make it, starting with his move to Pennsylvania at age 14.
“As bad as it is to say, it’s not that I didn’t have a plan B, but I knew that I was going to put in everything I can to succeed and be able to make it to the NHL and play in the NHL,” Provorov said. “That was one of those steps that we thought was going to get me closer to being able to play here, and it paid off.”
That passion has allowed Provorov to become one of the most dependable players in the league, one who has missed just three games – all because of COVID protocols in 2021-22 – in his entire nine-season, 647-game career. That was put to the test earlier this month in Vancouver, when he suffered a grotesque thumb injury on the first shift of the second period that ended his night.
It looked to everyone, including head coach Dean Evason, like Provorov might be out for a while, but two days later, he was back in the lineup against Winnipeg.
“I think one of the best availabilities is availability, and obviously I take pride in being able to every game through things,” said Provorov, who noted that was about as close as he’s come to missing a regular-season game in his career. “I take pride in my preparation and doing everything I can on the ice and off the ice – recovery, training, all that stuff, to be ready to be able to play.
“As a guy who is competitive, you want to be out there and you want to play every game.”
And if that durability continues, his hope is to be able to have some special moments in the future with his brother. Ivan is still just 27 years old with the potential to play many years into the future, and while Vladimir is 11 years behind, the dream is the two can share an NHL career together down the road.
“Hopefully we’re going to be able at some point to be able to play against each other – or together,” Provorov said.
