Prosvetov Feeling at Home in Colorado
Feb 22, 2024
By Kate Moloney
Prosvetov has been skating for as long as he can remember, claiming that he "naturally went into the net when I started playing outside". When Prosvetov was five years old, his coach tossed him some goalkeeper gear, and his obsession began.
After years of observing and analyzing NHL goaltenders, Ivan Prosvetov was recently named AHL Player of the Week after winning all three games and posting a .949 save percentage.
The 6-foot-5 goaltender was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in 2018 and spent the following four years with the Coyotes and their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Prosvetov gained his first NHL win on March 9, 2023, beating the Nashville Predators. After allowing just one goal on 40 shot attempts, the Coyotes’ goaltender earned his highest save percentage, .975% with the team. Prosvetov loved his first triumph and promised to build on it, as it became the most memorable moment, to date, of his career.
Prosvetov was placed on waivers after taking part in training camp and preseason contests, and the Colorado Avalanche claimed him the next day for the 2023–24 campaign. After making the transition from Tucson to Denver, Prosvetov struggled getting used to the high altitude. When asked about it, he stated “It was definitely something that made it tough for me to get used to. However, it motivated me to work harder”.
After clearing waivers, Prosvetov was assigned to the Colorado Eagles on February 4, 2023. Making his Eagles debut five days later against the Abbotsford Canucks, Prosvetov picked up his first win allowing only one goal on 27 shot attempts. "The team made things easy for me. When asked about his debut weekend, he replied, "It was good and felt awesome."
Prosvetov was greeted warmly by his fellow Eagles players and has stated that they are the reason that the transition went so smoothly. He was fortunate to already know a few players via call-ups and his junior hockey experience.
As a Roadrunner, Prosvetov played many games at Blue Arena as an opponent. He has now had the opportunity to experience the home fans cheering him on. “I was talking with some guys from Tucson and told them how amazing it is to play at Blue Arena.” After playing a few games now as an Eagle, Prosvetov has made it known that he is “glad to be on this side of things now.”
After experiencing some challenges while playing for the Colorado Avalanche, the 24-year-old stated, "You just have to work hard, even when frustrated." Prosvetov kept his word and worked hard as he transitioned to the Eagles. Since his transition, Prosvetov has a five-game winning streak, allowing only eight goals, while holding a .952 SAV%. His determination to succeed and overcome adversity helped him earn the AHL Player of the Week honors and helped the Eagles improve in the Pacific Division standings.
With a 1.67 GAA, Prosvetov's goal for the rest of the season is to "keep playing good and working hard" in order to lead the Eagles to a Calder Cup title.
