Wheat Kings' Provorov proving self in North America

Defenseman Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League has been described by teammates as a breakout machine.

The 6-foot, 191-pound native of Yaroslavl, Russia, has lived up to that billing in his first WHL season.

Alex Vasko saw potential in Provorov

Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Ivan Provorov, No. 10 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of the top North American skaters eligible for the 2015 NHL Draft, won't forget his early days in North America, when he played in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League.

It was Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Junior Knights assistant coach Alex Vasko who recruited Provorov from the Russian youth hockey club Lokomotiv in Yaroslavl in 2011. Provorov starred for the Junior Knights' bantam-major team and helped it win a national title as a defenseman.

Provorov said Vasko was one of his most influential coaches when he arrived in North America four years ago and has remained a good friend.

"Ivan did not speak any English when he first came to the U.S., so I was his translator for some time," Vasko told NHL.com. "But he picked up the language very quickly from school, his teammates and his hosting family. Now he speaks English better than me."

Vasko, born in Ukraine and fluent in Russian, played a key role in helping Provorov become accustomed to the North American culture and language.

"Since day one I really enjoyed working with him," Vasko said of Provorov. "Some of his strongest points are being able to follow instructions and applying everything I taught him in game situations. Ivan is very hard-working and dedicated. I keep in touch with Ivan and his family in Russia and I also keep skating with him whenever he's in our area."

Provorov invited Vasko and his family to the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Toronto and the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in St. Catharines, Ontario, on Jan. 22. The reunion was special.

"I'm very proud of him and confident in his big future in professional hockey," Vasko said. "Ivan puts his best effort in everything he does, not just hockey."

-- Mike G. Morreale

"He's good in all aspects of the game," defense partner Ryan Pilon said. "He can take the body and score some highlight-reel goals."

Provorov isn't your typical one-year wonder from Russia having success in North America.

After learning to skate when he turned 5, Provorov played his way up the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl system before deciding to continue his career in North America four years ago. That's when he began perfecting his game on the smaller rinks with the Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Knights in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League in 2011-12.

"We had to point to the ice and basically tell him to get out there; he spoke no English," Wilkes-Barre hockey director and coach Tom Kowal said. "This is a kid who doesn't even need to speak English to understand what is going on."

The move to play in Wilkes-Barre was one Provorov and his parents thought would serve him best in an attempt to realize his dream of being a top selection in the 2015 NHL Draft.

"I've always said, 'You're never going to want it more than I do,' so if you're going to give me 100 percent I'm going to give you 120 percent, and he made me go above and beyond as a coach because he wanted to be a great hockey player," Kowal said. "I was excited going to work knowing I'd work with Ivan because he appreciated your help, but more importantly wanted to get better every day."

It was in the AYHL where Provorov learned to speak English and hone his hockey skills. He had the aide of assistant coach and Ukrainian-born Alex Vasko during the transition.

"The biggest difference I found right away is that the game is much faster than in Russia," Provorov said. "It's more physical and you have to make decisions quickly; you can't take a second of a shift off here. But I like the physical game."

Provorov had 28 goals and 61 points in 27 games in his first season and had 42 goals and 97 points in 51 games on defense for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Under-16 midget team in 2012-13. It was evident Provorov was determined to take his game to another level.

"I always tell people I have a pretty good career in hockey," Kowal said. "But the thing is, if I did the extra things that Ivan does on the ice I probably wouldn't be coaching but still be playing."

Provorov was selected by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League in the first round (No. 5) of the 2013 USHL futures draft and had six goals and 19 points as a key member for the RoughRiders in 2013-14.

"It was an awesome first year for me in the USHL," Provorov said. "I got a lot of ice time so I got used to the fast game and good defense in the USHL. That's why I came to North America four years ago; to learn the game and the ice and make an NHL team."

Provorov considered the college route in 2014-15 but instead decided to join Brandon, the team that selected him in the first round (No. 30) of the 2014 Canadian Hockey League import draft.

"His coach in Cedar Rapids [Mark Carlson] spoke very highly of him and felt that at 16 he was the best defenseman on their team and one of their best players, so that's a pretty high compliment for a player of that age at that level," Wheat Kings general manager/coach Kelly McCrimmon said. "His skating was the one area that immediately jumped out at us."

Provorov hasn't missed a beat in his first WHL season; he's third among defensemen with 57 points (14 goals, 43 assists) in 55 games. He played for silver medal-winning Russia at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship and opened some eyes with a solid all-around performance at the 2015 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Jan. 22.

"What's interesting for me with Ivan is as offensively gifted as he is, it's his attention to detail and his motivation to be such a good player in all three zones that makes him special," McCrimmon said. "I think the best part of his game is breaking the puck out and leading a forecheck. He's been a tremendous player."

Provorov is No. 10 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of the top North American skaters eligible for the 2015 NHL Draft.

"He's very composed with the puck, has excellent vision and knows where everybody is on the ice," Central Scouting's John Williams said. "He has good hockey IQ and takes advantage when he sees an opening both offensively and defensively. He will play a physical game and can separate the man from the puck."

Separating the man from the puck is exactly what Provorov did in the Top Prospects Game in St. Catharines, Ontario. Provorov, who was playing for Team Orr, stopped Team Cherry forward Daniel Sprong of the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League at the blue line with a tremendous hit in the first period that led to a goal by Pilon as part of a 6-0 Team Orr victory.

"He's brought a tremendous ability in all aspects," Pilon said. "He's a great skater and really helps me out on the back end. We have good chemistry playing together and we're building toward a championship team in Brandon. So hopefully that's how it turns out. We've been partners since the preseason."

Provorov is determined to play in the NHL and will do whatever it takes. He had an opportunity to star in the Kontinental Hockey League prior to the 2014-15 season after being drafted by his hometown team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, in the third round (No. 120) of the 2014 KHL Draft. Instead he for the WHL.

"If this kid wanted to play in Russia he'd be there right now," Kowal said. "He wants to be an NHL player and I feel very confident in saying that."

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