Eagles’ Ivan invited to Czech training camp
SYDNEY — Cape Breton Eagles forward Ivan Ivan is one step closer to once again representing his country on the international level.
The 18-year-old has been invited as an underage player to attend the Czech Republic's national junior team selection camp for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton next month.
The team will hold its final camp from Dec. 6-13 in Vyskov, Czech Republic, before travelling to Canada later in the month for the tournament.
“We're hoping that he makes the team as a full-time player,” said Eagles general manager Jacques Carrière. “They had a pre-training camp and now they have a final training camp and he's going to it and we wish him the best.”
The centre represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as well as the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Ivan was drafted by the Eagles with the No. 35 overall pick at the 2019 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. He reported to Cape Breton last season and had 11 goals and 22 points in 62 games.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ivan hasn't been able to join the Eagles so far this season. He's waiting for authorization to travel to Canada as the border restrictions remain tight.
If Ivan is successful in making the national junior team, it will also open the door for the Ostrava native to rejoin the Eagles in January.
“We're hoping that he can travel with the national team and enter Canada,” said Carrière. “Once he's entered Canada then we'll be able to arrange travel for him from Edmonton to Sydney when the tournament is over.”
Recently, Ivan was loaned to HC Vitkovice of the Czech league. He's currently the youngest player on the team, playing with players between the ages of 19 and 39 including former NHLER Roman Polák.
“It's a limited transfer so he can play hockey,” said Carrière. “We're still holding their IIHF transfer card, it's not like we released him — as soon as the immigration situation is resolved, and he can enter the country, he'll travel.”
Meanwhile, Russian forward Mikhail Nizovkin has also been granted a limited transfer in order to play.
The 17-year-old is currently suiting up for the AKM Novomoskovsk of the MHL, which is Russia's junior league. In four games with the team, Nizovkin has a goal and four penalty minutes.
Unlike Ivan, Carrière doesn't anticipate Nizovkin to be part of the Russian national junior team, meaning fans will likely have to wait a bit longer before finally seeing the No. 44 overall selection at the 2020 CHL Import Draft.
“Since he's a 2003-born player, there's really no hope of him entering the country with the Russians,” said Carrière. “Typically, Russia won't play very many underage players and he's a double underage player.
“Teams like Switzerland, Germany and other small countries, where they don't have many players, sometimes play double underage players, but countries like Russia, Sweden, Finland and Canada don't.”
The Czech Republic will play in Group Bat the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. The country will be joined by Russia, Sweden, Austria and the United States.
The Czechs will open the tournament on Boxing Day against Sweden.