Columbus Blue Jackets‘ goalie prospect Sergei Ivanov, lining up between the pipes of SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), was awarded Goalie of the Week honors thanks to his excellent performance guarding the franchise’s net. The 21-year-old goalie returned to SKA this summer after a successful loan spell with HC Sochi. The netminder was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft.
A Strong Performance
It was the third Goalie of the Week award for Ivanov, who won two games last week and continues to cement himself as one of the most reliable young netminders in the league. The St. Petersburg goalie faced a heavy workload, turning aside 78 shots — an average of 39 per game — and finished the week with an excellent save percentage of .962 and a goals-against average of 1.50.
Ivanov was particularly sharp in high-pressure moments, showing poise and quick reflexes that kept SKA competitive even when the team was outshot. In Monday’s SKA win over Avangard (1-0), Ivanov posted his first shutout of the season, a composed and technically sound performance that highlighted how far he has come in his development and why SKA increasingly trusts him in key matchups.
Ivanov’s contract in Russia will run out at the end of the season, and it is believed that he will join the Blue Jackets organization in the next offseason, for the 2026-27 campaign. If he keeps on growing like that, he’ll be able to develop into an NHL goalie very fast, especially considering Columbus’ situation in the crease.
