Tigers not rushing new Russian import Gleb Ivanov

By James Tubb on November 5, 2021.

James Tubb

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
Twitter: ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Tigers won’t be rushing their newest import defenceman, Gleb Ivanov, into WHL hockey until he’s ready.

The 18-year-old Russian joined the Tigers on Wednesday after being selected 55th overall by the club in the 2021 CHL import draft. Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said Thursday Ivanov has a couple of times in Medicine Hat, but it’s too soon to tell how he’ll fit into the lineup.

“Still too early to tell, last practice he was in he had no sleep for probably like 28 hours,” Desjardins said. “It’s still too early. We won’t know for two weeks where we’re at with him. Just to get adjusted with languages and issues so, we’ll just have to wait and see but so far he seems like a good kid.”

Desjardins said the Tigers would also have to wait and see when he will debut, but that they want get him in game action as soon as they can. Medicine Hat hits the road tonight to take on the Broncos before hosting the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday at Co-op Place.

Off the ice, Ivanov is living with Tigers veteran Corson Hopwo — an arrangement Hopwo says associate coach Joe Frazer approached him in the summer about and he accepted because he said he thought it would be pretty cool.

Hopwo says he roomed with Jonathan Brinkman when he was selected by the Tigers in the 2019 import draft ,so he was excited for the new experience. So far the two of them have been talking through translations and just getting to know one another.

“Just get to know him and treat him like he’s another normal guy which he is,” Hopwo said. “He may not speak English but that doesn’t matter.”

Hopwo says he hasn’t picked up any Russian yet but has learned that Ivanov has a dog back in Russia and his favourite food is pancakes with condensed milk, “a Russian delicacy.”

They’ve only skated together a couple times, but Hopwo says he will help out the Tigers defensive corps.

“After seeing him in practice yesterday, he seems smart, skilled and he’ll definitely help the back end,” Hopwo said.