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Ivan Provorov vs. Charlie McAvoy - Feb. 12, 2018 – Vol. 71, Issue 11 - Tom Thompson

BETTER DEFENSEMAN

WOW! WHAT A NICE early Christmas present I received from THN. In order to compose this article, I had the privilege in the 10 days prior to the NHL’s holiday break of watching Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy play five games each. Prior to watching these games, I would’ve said that both were top young players in the NHL and, in particular, that they had surpassed most of their contemporaries on the second rung of young defensemen behind Columbus’ Zach Werenski and Florida’s Aaron Ekblad. But after watching the games, I realized I had to adjust my thinking. Both Provorov and McAvoy are improving rapidly. They’re already cornerstones of their teams. Their values are skyrocketing because what they bring to their teams are the most important qualities necessary for success in the modern NHL. They are two of the top young players in the game, hands down. Werenski and Ekblad may be ahead of them, but all four of these young defensemen should be ranked in the same category. Let’s examine what these special attributes are and how these two emerging stars compare with each other.

POISE

THE NO. 1 ATTRIBUTE possessed by both players is poise. You have to pinch yourself to realize McAvoy just turned 20 and Provorov just turned 21. They match up against the opposition’s top players. They’re point men on the power play. They play in late-game situations. Both are used regularly in 3-on-3 overtime. In all of these situations, McAvoy and Provorov conduct themselves like seasoned veterans. They do not get flustered or chase the puck in the defensive zone. Longtime coach Dave King often told me the most important sign of poise in a young defenseman was the ability to find an open man in the middle of the ice when under pressure in the defensive zone. Most D-men either bang the puck off the glass, try to stickhandle or “freeze” while standing still. McAvoy and Provorov consistently make crisp passes to open teammates. These passes have to be accurate, because a turnover at that location results in a direct shot on goal. With McAvoy and Provorov, their accuracy is consistent.

EDGE: NEITHER

OFFENSIVE PLAY

ALTHOUGH THEIR STATS ARE comparable, I give the edge to McAvoy. He is productive now and will only get better. His ability to handle the puck with his head up and make quick decisions is exceptional. He’s more inclined than Provorov to join the attack in the neutral zone and he has a quicker release on his shot. McAvoy has an uncanny ability to sense the proper time to move to the opposition’s net for a cross-ice pass. His winning goal in a Dec. 21 shootout against Winnipeg exhibited both his poise and puckhandling skills. Provorov makes good passes, but is more inclined than McAvoy to carry the puck out of danger. The Flyers defender will join the rush later in the game if his team is behind, but he isn’t looking for this option on a regular basis. He executes well at the point, but is not particularly innovative. He doesn’t have a quick release on his shot, but anybody who saw the torque on his stick when he scored a laser against Columbus on Dec. 23 would never question his shooting ability.

EDGE: MCAVOY

DEFENSIVE PLAY

THIS IS THE AREA where Provorov has the edge. He is on the Flyers’ top defense pairing against the opposition’s best players. His backwards skating and mobility are excellent. So is his concentration and ability to recognize the most dangerous opponents and how to neutralize them. He is strong physically and uses his strength effectively in 1-on-1 situations. When under duress with the puck, Provorov uses his physical power and breakout skills to gain the neutral zone. McAvoy is adept at converting from backwards skating to forward acceleration. This allows him to make effective open-ice hits. His mobility backwards is not quite at Provorov’s level, and neither is his strength. McAvoy’s defensive-zone coverage is OK, but not at Provorov’s level.

EDGE: PROVOROV

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VERSATILITY

WITH THE ANALYTICAL BASE, it can readily be determined which players are more effective in particular situations. For Provorov and McAvoy, their games will become even more complete than they are now. At present, both play on their team’s No. 1 defense pairing. Both are on the second power play unit. Provorov is on the first penalty-killing unit, while McAvoy isn’t used extensively on the PK. Both are used in late-game situations and overtime. Both are effective playing left or right defense. As his career unfolds, McAvoy should take over as Boston’s power play quarterback and join the NHL’s group of elite offensive D-men. His defensive play will be good enough to use in all situations. Provorov should become one of the league’s top-flight defensive players. He may be on the first PP unit, but he won’t be considered elite in that role.

EDGE: McAVOY

PHYSICAL PLAY

I SAW MCAVOY RECORD his ‘Gordie Howe hat trick’ against Columbus. His fight with Pierre-Luc Dubois was of the old-time variety. Two highly skilled players were competing hard, they collided in a battle for the puck, they got mad and they fought. McAvoy was impressive. He did not back down an inch. He’ll also go out of his way to make an open-ice hit if he catches an opponent with his head down. This type of play is not at the core of his game. He makes good use of his stick and is trying to steal pucks so that he can convert to offense. His courage is augmented by the imposing presence of partner Zdeno Chara. Provorov does not have Chara with him. He’s on his own. Playing with a constant physical edge in 1-on-1 battles is at the core of his game and he’s very effective at it.

EDGE: PROVOROV

HOCKEY SENSE

BOTH CAN READ SITUATIONS quickly, they react well, and both understand their game in all situations. Both have top hockey IQs.

EDGE: NEITHER

CONCLUSION

TWO YOUNG DEFENSEMEN HAVE arrived as top-level players at an early age. They took very different routes to get here. Provorov is a left-shooting Russian who came to North America at 13 to pursue his hockey dream. He played midget in Pennsylvania, junior in Iowa and major junior in Brandon. McAvoy is a right-shooting American who played midget in New Jersey, went to the U.S. National Team Development Program in Michigan, then played in the NCAA with Boston University. Both became NHL stars at 20. Both are versatile and will be able to help their teams in all situations. I project Provorov as being an elite-level defender who can contribute offensively. I project McAvoy as being an elite-level offensive defenseman who is effective defensively. I want them both on my team now and for many years to come. However, in hockey, choices must be made based on the value of each player’s role. I value offense from the blueline more than any other attribute in the game. I choose Charlie McAvoy.

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