LOVELAND — Ivan Ivan knows it is going to come up at some point.
Teammates, coaches, fans, media members … eventually, someone is going to ask him about his name. It’s never mean-spirited, but people are always curious.
“It is funny,” Ivan said. “A lot of people think my parents hate me or something. I find that pretty crazy. If my parents hated me, they wouldn’t let me play hockey. It’s one of the most expensive sports.
“My parents wanted me to be special, so it’s not a common name.”
Ivan took an uncommon path to the NHL this season.