On April 9, 2026, Ball Arena will host Star Wars Night as the Colorado Avalanche face the Calgary Flames, with attending fans receiving a Grogu bobblehead; should the Avalanche’s public relations team be amenable, they might also contemplate offering a second collectible honoring Ilya Solovyov. The 25-year-old Belarusian defenseman was claimed off waivers by the Avalanche earlier this month. He spent the bulk of the 2024–25 season with the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, where he amassed 28 points—six goals and 22 assists—tying for the team lead in goals among blueliners. Additionally, he appeared in five games for the Flames last season, recording one assist. Ilya Solovyov told The Hockey News how he found out he was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche. Upon his inaugural visit to the Family Sports Center, Solovyov’s first encounter was with none other than “The Captain,” Gabe Landeskog. Speaking with The Hockey News, Solovyov acknowledged that Landeskog likely did not know who he was at the time, yet he extended a gracious introduction nonetheless. “I said like, ‘Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Ilya. You can call me “Solo” and he started (joking with me) like, ‘Hey, Han Solo’ from Star Wars.” For those familiar with the Avalanche and Landeskog, it comes as little surprise that he promptly ventured into the realm of nerd culture with a Star Wars reference—though, frankly, who could blame him? Solovyov interpreted it as a gesture of goodwill—a clear signal that he was welcomed on the team. As his eyes swept across the locker room, he became acutely aware that he was sharing space with some of the best hockey players in the world. Initially, the experience proved slightly overwhelming, but in time, he found his composure. “I said, ‘Oh wow. This is pretty cool to practice with them.’ When you’re practicing with some of the best hockey players in the world, you become better as well, so it’s a really cool (opportunity) for me.” The Call After he was placed on waivers, Solyvyov received a phone call from Flames general manager Craig Conroy informing him that he was picked up by the Colorado Avalanche. “He told me good luck,” he recalled. Solovyov scarcely had a moment to process his emotions—if he felt any at all—before receiving yet another phone call. This one came from Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland, and almost instantly, a broad smile illuminated Solovyov’s face. “He said, ‘Hey, Ilya. It’s Chris, general manager of the Colorado Avalanche. I picked you up off waivers. We’re (happy to have you) on our team.’” Within the next couple of hours, Solovyov received another phone call from MacFarland informing him that a plane was coming to pick him up at 1 p.m. the following day. The only downside was having to say goodbye to his family. “I left my family back in Calgary for a bit. It’s been almost two weeks right now,” Solovyov said. “We have a house over there, so they’re not able to jump in right away. We have to clean everything; we have to call a moving company to pick up all the stuff. We’ve got a bed, a lot of kid stuff, so they’re not able to come right away. Now we’re trying to figure out everything else. The next day I’m flying to Colorado, and the day after that I’m skating by myself.” A Dream Realized As Solovyov reflected on events that had unfolded just weeks earlier, we asked him to journey back to 2010, when he was a 10-year-old boy in Belarus. Could he have imagined, back then, standing in this very moment with one of the finest teams in the National Hockey League? Solovyov smiled, opting for humility in his response. “I don’t know honestly,” he stated quietly. “I think when you’re young, you dream of being a superstar pro. But as you grow up and become older, you try to do your best to make your dreams (come) true. I’m already in the NHL, so the first part of the dream (came true) already, now I want to be a full-time NHL player.”
