Russian defenseman Provorov could be good fit for Flyers

BUFFALO - When the Flyers make the seventh overall pick in the NHL draft on June 26, they may have a choice between defenseman Ivan Provorov or forwards Lawson Crouse, Kyle Connor, Mathew Barzal, Mikko Rantanen, or Pavel Zacha.

Craig Button, the former Calgary general manager who is a draft expert for TSN in Canada, admires all of the players, but he says Provorov, 18, is the best of the group.

"He has everything," Button said while watching players go through fitness testing Saturday at the NHL scouting combine. "I see Ivan as an elite defenseman."

Button said the 6-foot-1, 201-pound Provorov - who left Russia at age 14 to get used to the North American culture and the smaller rinks - combines speed, physicality, and intelligence.

"To me, there's a lot of different challenges in the game for defensemen," Button said. "There's defensive challenges, offensive challenges, and he meets them all and exceeds them because he's so smart. He understands how to play in different situations; he understands what's coming at him. That's a hockey sense thing to me. His hockey intelligence is outstanding."

Provorov speaks perfect English and was interviewed by 23 teams at the combine. "I just tried to be myself. Tell people who I am, off the ice and on the ice," said Provorov, whose mother is a cardiologist.

Provorov, Boston College's Noah Hanifin, and Michigan's Zach Werenski are regarded as the draft's top three defensemen. Playing junior hockey for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League last season, Provorov had 15 goals, 61 points, and a plus-36 rating in 60 games.

Flyers general manager Ron Hextall was unable to attend the scouting combine because he had two flights canceled to Buffalo. "Maybe I'll see him at the draft," Provorov said.

In today's NHL, in addition to playing solidly in their own end, defensemen have to be offensive threats, Button said.

"The opposition has to think, 'Uh-oh, this guy can break us down.' It's all those elements that Ivan possesses, and I'll tell you what, he's a competitor," Button said. "He'll play physical if that's what's needed. I think defensemen have to have a command of the game and be able to have a presence and really control a game, and that's what I see in Ivan."

The highly confident Provorov said he wants to play in the NHL this season or in 2016-17 at the latest.

"I think I'm ready this year. I think I can adjust my game to the speed and physical play," Provorov said. "I'm going to work hard during the summer, and if not [this year], I think definitely by the age of 19."

@BroadStBull