Player evaluation: Ivanans
RAITIS IVANANS
This season: 73 games, 6 goals, 2 assists, minus-10 rating.
Positives: Scored six goals this season, only one fewer than $4-million-man Michal Handzus. Ivanans has a very defined role, and he has filled it to the coaches' satisfaction over the last two seasons. Enforcers can't afford to be one-dimensional in the post-lockout NHL, and Ivanans has displayed some skill, beyond the ability to fight.
Negatives: Even at his best, Ivanans will never be a skilled offensive player. He's 29 years old and unlikely to show significant improvement at this point in his career, so what you see is what you get.
Looking ahead: On a team that most followers agree lacked toughness, Ivanans was a notable exception. He returned relatively quickly from a painful broken cheekbone and resumed his physical style of play. Ivanans fills a crucial role and is not expected to contribute offense. As long as he skates strong and brings a physical element to the game, he's a valuable contributor.
Contract situation: Signed through 2009-10 (cap number of $600,000 next season).
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Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
I love this guy. One of only a few enforcers in the game who can actually play hockey. As much as I liked Parros and Grimson and Norton and the other tough guys we used to have, this is the only heavyweight in recent memory who can skate and put the puck in the net. Glad we have him for 2 more years.
This man is one tough customer, and he actually can score from time to time. Wasn't too hot on him last year, but I've come around. He's affordable, useful, and big.
He's taken more minor penalties than any other enforcer I've seen (Avery excluded).
Its good to bring energy to the team, but taking so many penalties in the offensive zone (when there's no threat) is stupid.
He's not all that good a fighter either. This season I noticed him win only 2 fights (Parros & Carcillo).
And thats it.
I'd like to see Kevin Westgarth or Paul Crosby take his place.
As far as I am concerned, he earned his pay when he took that Blake slapper right in the face and just skated off to the bench, no arms flailing, stick and gloves flying, flopping like a fish on the ice, he just skated off so another player could get in the play. One tough Euro!
I absolutely love Ivanans and here's why:
As kings fans, I feel like sometimes we are over-promised on players. Guys we sign to be 2nd line centers turn out not to be, first string goalies turn out to have hips worse than Betty White's. Ivanans is one of the most fun players to watch because he knows what his job is and he does it. Simple.
Successful NHL teams are built on players and coaches that do what they are paid to do. Only a handful of Kings can say they earned their paycheck, and those are the guys DL (and the fans) seem to want our team built around.
So I don't mean to jump on Rich, but I think if guys fulfilled their roles like Crazy Ivan does every night, we'd have a much better hockey club. 'What you see is what you get," at least on this team, is exactly what we need.
Thanks,
Z
Rich,
Never really commented before, but this is great, great sports journalism for junkies. You could put any other publications, put them together, and it still wouldn't come close to the amount of information you put into this blog. Yeoman's work!!
Every team needs a guy like him. He was the only intimidating player we had on the team. His 6 goals were a bonus. His salary is perfect for his role.
nykingfan pretty much nailed, he's no Marty McSorley, but he'll do for now.
I like his toughness and he is pretty controlled for a tough guy for the stupid penalties (Anthony disagrees above).
I'm not a big fight fan of the game. I think it's in the past but recognize that you do need a guy like this on the team.
Playing him with Frolov and Cammy was dumb (Crawfords fault) and his chipping in a few goals was a nice bonus.
I think for the salary he's a good guy to have on the team. I'd just like him to work on that 747 style turn of his when he turns to get back up the ice.
Rat boy rules.
We're the least penalized team in the nhl (anthony), so for a guy whose job is to rough it up (and as a natural biproduct take penalties), Rat boy is ok by me.
I agree he could be a better fighter, but really he's a willing fighter, which is all he needs to be. He may not be able to knock everyone out right away, but he is a horse and doesn't go down himself. All the team needs is a guy who will drop the gloves and take some punishment for his boys.
Dude is a tank, straight up. Many of you nailed it, he does what he is supposed to and does it well. I would like to see him put a few more guys out and maybe up his aggro for purposes of intimidation, but he is good to go for our team.
Anthony,
In your opinion Ivan only won two fights... in the opinions of the masses he was much more successful in the 12 bouts he had this season. Popular vote has him at 7-3-2.
http://www.hockeyfights.com/players/1556/fightcard/reg2008
His hands may be about as soft as Bill Clement, but he was brought in to be a physical presence and he has been just that on a roundly soft team. In addition, he found himself in the right place at the right time to pot a few goals (bonus)! I dont know if youre expecting the world from some of these players, but maybe you should give the ones who unquestioningly give 110% every shift a little more credit.