Sergei Ivanov continues to guard HC Sochi’s crease in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), while his former teammate, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Yegor Zavragin has returned to SKA St. Petersburg from his loan spell. Ivanov moved from the Metallurg Magnitogorsk youth program to SKA at 16 and progressed through all levels of the system in St. Petersburg — from the junior team to the youth and Supreme Hockey League (VHL), and even played a few games for the main squad. However, a year ago, he was sent on loan to Admiral Vladivostok. In May, he went out on loan again, this time to Sochi, and shortly afterward, another young goaltender from SKA’s system, Zavragin, joined the Black Sea franchise as well.
When SKA’s main goaltender, Nikita Serebryakov, began increasingly yielding the net to Artemy Pleshkov early this season, rumors circulated that the Petersburg club might soon recall one of their goalies from loan. That turned out to be the 19-year-old Zavragin, while Ivanov remained Sochi’s number-one goalie. Following Sochi’s game against HC Vityaz (2:3 OT), where the club celebrated its 10th anniversary, Ivanov talked about the team’s results, his conversations with SKA’s bench boss Roman Rotenberg, his outlook on loan moves, the positive example of Ilya Nabokov, and the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected Sergei in the 2022 NHL Draft at 138th overall.
**You can enjoy the original article in Russian language by Yelena Kuznetsova at Championat.ru here**
It was a special game for Sochi, with the franchise celebrating its tenth anniversary. The team lost the game, but the celebration atmosphere was evident. “It was a special celebration today, and a lot of people showed up,” Ivanov says. “All the guys were pumped up, but honestly, we’re fired up for every game. I’m not sure what went wrong today.” Sochi had a nice comeback in the game, rallying back from a 0:2 deficit, but ultimately lost. A comeback always brings great emotions for the fans, even if it ends in an OT loss. “Definitely, it’s entertaining for the fans. But we really shouldn’t be starting games like that.” With that being said, Ivanov has excellent numbers with Sochi, with a .913 save percentage (SV%) and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.68. He also has two shutouts with his team being second-last in the Western Conference standings.
Last season, Ivanov played three games for SKA and another one for SKA’s farm team in the Russian second-tier league (VHL) before getting loaned to Admiral. There, he had a breakout season, playing 33 games for the Sailors with an SV% of .928 and a GAA of 2.63, with one shutout. Admiral was one of the worst teams in the league. In May, Ivanov was loaned to another team again, this time to Sochi.
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“I was mostly fine with this decision,” the goalie says. “I pretty much knew I’d be going on loan, it was just a matter of where. In the end, it was Sochi. I took it in stride. I spoke with SKA’s head coach, the goaltending coach, and my agent, so it was no big mystery that I’d be loaned out. They made their decision, and that’s that—I had no control over it.”
KHL Loan Spells
“Roman Rotenberg [SKA’s head coach] and I had a chat. He told me to keep working hard, play my game, and we’d see what happens.” Given how tough it is for any goalie to secure a spot with SKA, maybe this isn’t the worst situation for the young goalie. “Everything happens for a reason. My loan to Admiral turned out to be a good year, with valuable experience. Now here in Sochi, all the conditions are in place too. This is the KHL, and playing here is a dream. I go out there every game and try to give it my all.”
At the start of the season, Nikita Serebryakov was SKA’s number-one goalie. He won the Goalie of the Year award with Admiral in 2022-23 before moving to St. Petersburg the next season. After a good 2023-24 campaign, however, he lost the favor of the coach after a few subpar performances, and he hasn’t played for almost a month. With Zavragin and Ivanov loaned to Sochi, it became evident that SKA was about to recall one of them, but the choice fell on the former. Club management makes the decisions; Ivanov is not disappointed. “For me, it’s just about playing; whatever happens, happens. I’ll do whatever they tell me. My job is simple—play hockey. I didn’t even think about it. Time will tell if it was for the good or not.”
Ivanov: Starting Between the Pipes at Just 20
Aged 20, Ivanov is still young for being a KHL starting goalie. It’s a rare case. “There’s still daily competition,” Ivanov explains. “Whether you’re the first or second goalie, games and practices determine everything. Of course, they trust me here, and that’s what matters most for a netminder. Now it’s just about living up to that trust.” He could enjoy that trust last season as well. “Things didn’t really change,” he admits. “Admiral trusted me, too; I played as many as ten games in a row there. I’ve had that experience, so I don’t overthink it—I just go out and play.”
One can wonder what’s it like to be the most experienced goalie on a senior team at only 20. “On one hand, it’s nice,” the goalie smiles. “On the other, it’s a big responsibility. It’s a huge responsibility, so I have to go out there, show up, and deliver. Here, you don’t think about whether you’re young or old. Look at Metallurg’s Ilya Nabokov—he’s young but won the Gagarin Cup. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old; if you go out and stop the puck, you’ll always stand out, and things will go well.
Nabokov, the Colorado Avalanche’s draftee, can be considered a good role model. It’s a great story, and any young goalie would want to follow in his footsteps. “Definitely, he’s a good example. You’d want to, but that kind of success is partly fate. They had a strong year, and I know Ilya—he’s disciplined and has good instincts. All those factors led them to success.” The two aren’t unknown to each other. They played together for a long time in Magnitogorsk. “We played on the same team. We’ll have stories to share after our careers. No hidden issues—everything is easygoing, always with a smile.”
Playing Under Sergei Zubov
Ivanov’s head coach in Sochi is long-time NHL defenseman Sergei Zubov, who also worked at SKA. He doesn’t seem to have changed since those days. “Naturally, the role of head coach is a huge responsibility; you’re the main person on the team and accountable for everything. So, yes, there’s a difference. But otherwise, he’s the same. He’ll come over here to encourage you, or sometimes, he might do the opposite. He’s a legend, and we all understand and respect that. It makes you want to play for him, which adds responsibility and confidence in your actions.”
Admiral was mostly a conservative team, with the team playing a defense-first style trying to leave as little space as possible to the opposition. In Sochi, it’s much more about attacking, and it poses a challenge to a team’s goalie. “Definitely, there are differences,” Ivanov explains. “Playing for Admiral I had more shots from set positions and the perimeter, while here, it’s more counterattacks, breakaways, and 2-on-1s. It’s obviously tougher for a goalie when you’re standing most of the game and then suddenly have to switch on.” Tougher, but on the other hand, more interesting too. “For sure, it’s exciting hockey for everyone, and for me, it’s an interesting experience as well.”
Ivanov’s contract with SKA runs through the 2024-25 season and in May, he’ll be free. “I haven’t thought about moving to Columbus yet,” he says. “I keep in touch with the club; they ask about my health, how I’m playing. They’re keeping track and know everything. But I haven’t given it any real thought.” Ivanov doesn’t feel pressed by the Jackets. “Everyone understands I have a contract here, and how things work out, we’ll see later.”
With his progress and experience, it’s legit to think that Ivanov has NHL potential. Now it’s up to him to fulfill it.
