Ivan Provorov

Provorov left Russia at the age of 13 and moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania without his parents. He lived with a billet family there, attended private school, and played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights junior team.[2]

Provorov played with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League (USHL) before he was selected in the CHL Import Draft, 25th overall, by the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[3] The same year, he was selected 120th overall in the 2014 KHL Junior Draft by his hometown team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He opted to report to the Wheat Kings for the 2014–15 season on 14 August 2014.[4] His coach with the Wheat Kings was Kelly McCrimmon, whose brother, former Philadelphia Flyer Brad McCrimmon would likely have been Provorov's coach had he remained in Russia and also if Brad hadn't perished in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Plane Crash tragedy.[5]

In January 2015, Provorov was invited to the CHL Top Prospects Game, where he played for the winning Team Orr and impressed scouts with his all-around performance and ability to separate opponents from the puck.[6]

Provorov won the WHL championship with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2015–16 season[7] and was named WHL defenceman of the year.[8] However, in the following 2016 Memorial Cup tournament, the team failed to win a game. Provorov was also named the CHL Defenceman of the Year for the 2015–16 season.

After being rated as a top prospect, Provorov was selected seventh overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.[9] On 3 July 2015, he signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers.[10]

After a strong showing at the Flyers' training camp, he was added to the team[1] and made his NHL debut on 14 October 2016 away against the Los Angeles Kings. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, in the same game. Provorov scored his first NHL goal on 23 November 2016 against Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the end of the 2016–17 season, the Flyers awarded Provorov with the Barry Ashbee Trophy, which is given to the team's "outstanding defenseman" from the season. Provorov became only the third rookie defensemen to win the award for the Flyers, after Norm Barnes and teammate Shayne Gostisbehere (who had become the second just the year before).[11] Overall, he finished the season with 30 points in 82 games.

Provorov improved his scoring in the 2017–18 season, recording a career-high 17 goals and 41 points in 82 games. The Flyers qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.[12] However, the team lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first round.[13] Provorov skated in all six games, scoring three assists. It was revealed he played Game 6 with a Grade 3 AC sprain.[14] He did not require surgery, but was sidelined for eight weeks.[15]

On 12 September 2019, the Flyers re-signed Provorov to a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension.[16] The 2019–20 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Provorov finished only 5 points shy of his career high and logged an average of 24:51 time on ice.[17] He won the Flyers' Barry Ashbee award for the second time in four years[18] and placed in the top 20 of votes for the Norris Trophy.

On January 12, 2021, the Flyers announced that Provorov would be designated alternate captain for all home games during the 2020–21 season.[19]