The Avalanche have signed undrafted free agent center Ivan Ivan to a two-year entry-level contract, per a team announcement Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed, although the deal will begin next season and make him an RFA in 2026.
Ivan, 21, was on an AHL contract with the Avalanche’s affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. He’s had a promising inaugural professional season, scoring 12 goals, 15 assists, and 27 points in 51 games with a +3 rating.
The 6-foot Czech pivot was impressive on an otherwise middling Cape Breton Eagles team over three years in the QMJHL, closing out his major junior career with a 33-goal, 90-point campaign in 64 games last year. He was named to Czechia’s 2022 World Junior Championship roster, where he notched one assist in seven games en route to a bronze-game loss.
Ivan’s transition to the pro game has created some buzz about his ceiling as a solid bottom-six playmaking center who can log some penalty-kill time. Size won’t be a hurdle in his NHL adjustment, weighing in at nearly 200 lbs, and he’s got plenty of experience playing on North American ice, joining Cape Breton in 2019 after playing out his youth career in Czechia.
Signing Ivan brings the Avs to 47 out of the maximum 50 contracts, so they’ll be cognizant of the limit as they navigate the trade waters this week. He’ll remain waiver-exempt throughout his ELC if he plays 80 NHL games or less.
Rooting for this guy. He’s so nice they named him twice
Marcel Marcel has company.
Good to see someone overcome their idiot parents.
His middle name is also Ivan for those wondering, btw
He should have a Little Caesar’s sponsorship… “pizza pizza”
Sounds like a Catch-22 Major Major Major situation.
Not a comedian in sight.
The New Jersey Devils have fired head coach Lindy Lindy
For doing the Triple Lindy dive?
All name team with Arshdeep Bains
My name is Ivan Ivan yeah you say it double
I’m gonna go get the papers, get the papers…
He has a name like a third-string 80s New Wave outfit. “And that was Ivan Ivan with ‘Nuclear Fallout Party’, stay tuned for the latest from Haircut 100 and Soft Cell!”
Ed Edd and Eddy