Ivan Provorov’s interesting season

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesIt isn’t a controversial statement to say that Ivan Provorov is a legitimate #1 defenseman in the NHL.

Even if one disagrees with this assessment of the 24-year-old Russian, he is, beyond shadow of a doubt, the #1 defenseman for the Flyers, in terms of both ability and usage. Provorov has so far averaged 26:00 minutes of ice-time per game (19:11 at 5-on-5), which only places him behind Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, and Brent Burns’ ATOI. Additionally, with the struggles the Flyers’ defense has seen this season, Provorov has, by many accounts, been one of the only bright spots in a disappointing black hole of a blue line.

That assessment leaves one main…