Who is Ivan Ivan? Meet the Czech forward with one of the best names at the 2022 World Juniors
There are a few names on the Czech World Junior Championships list that you might recognize. David Jiricek was the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NHL draft. Jan Mysak, the team’s captain, is a Canadiens prospect. And then there’s another player with one of the most unusual names you’ll find.
Ivan Ivan, a Czech forward who shares the same first and last name, took the hockey world by storm last December when he was drafted for the canceled World Juniors. While a December graphic that said his name was Ivan Ivan Ivan caused a stir, sadly it’s just Ivan Ivan.
Reminder that the legend of Ivan exists and is frozen #WorldJuniors Once again. pic.twitter.com/rrYD1TEl9A
— BarDown (@BarDown) August 9, 2022
While it’s not three times as pretty, Ivan Ivan might just be the funniest name to call someone in the World Juniors. Now he’s back, representing his home country in Edmonton, ready to take on Canada and the rest of Group A.
MORE: Schedule, Scores, Results for all World Juniors 2022 games
Find out more about how Ivan got his name here.
How did Ivan Ivan get his name?
That wasn’t a birth certificate mistake where his father accidentally filled in the information incorrectly. Ivan’s parents knew what they were doing when they gave him his name.
Since Ivan’s name was making waves all over social media, he explained her reasoning.
Do you remember Ivan Ivan?
Representing Czech Republic 🇨🇿 at World Juniors 2022, Ivan explains the reason for his unique name!@narodnitym | @CBEHockey | #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/1bHf0TBIAQ
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 9, 2022
“A lot of people think my parents did it on purpose. My parents love me and they did it because they want me to be special. I didn’t want to be special because of my name. (I wanted to be special) because of my hockey skills,” he said.
Which NHL team did Ivan Ivan draft?
Ivan has yet to be drafted by an NHL team. He has been a pick since the 2020 NHL Draft and will remain a pick until his 21st birthday.
Ivan will be 20 this month. He will be considered for the 2023 draft and considered an above-average player.
If he is not drafted in 2023, he will become a free agent and can sign with any NHL team.
For which team does Ivan Ivan play?
Ivan finished last season with the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL. It was his second season with the team, having joined the club for the 2019/20 season.
He scored 65 points in 61 games for Cape Breton in the 2021–22 season, leading the team in points and goals (31) and tying the lead in assists (34). Overall, Ivan has 77 points in 127 games in his QMJHL career.