Lodnia’s family sacrifices for hockey
NHL.com
Ivan Lodnia
In 1996, Konstantin, Irina and 5-year-old Masha Lodnia packed up their belongings and left their native Ukraine, heading to Los Angeles with the hope of a better life. Three years later, their second child, Ivan, was born.
Konstantin was a professional hockey player in Ukraine and the sport of hockey was what he knew best. Once relocated in America, he made a living by coaching hockey and giving private skating lessons.
Some 21 years after the family’s move from Ukraine, Ivan Lodnia became a third-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild. The Lodnias, who had relocated halfway across the world to a foreign country with $100 to their name and lived in a tiny apartment struggling to make ends meet, had realized the American dream.
Irina was a stay-at-home mother tending to daughter Masha, while the father worked hockey-related jobs morning to night, seven days per week.
Soon after Ivan was born, his father introduced him to the game of hockey. He began skating at an early age, at first being held on the ice by his father, then graduating to private lessons three times a day. The youngster’s love for the game was immediate. He remembers running around a rink with a pacifier in his mouth and a hockey stick in his hand.
The local community was not always welcoming to the immigrant family in their neighborhood. Konstantin was criticized for the long hours spent working with Ivan. Some began insulting the toddler when he was only 2 years old, claiming he was a poor skater and wasn’t very good. Some of the insults were aimed at the father’s Ukrainian descent and accent.
Ivan’s success at a young age coupled with hockey’s lack of popularity in California at the time led to some of the bad-mouthing. Ivan was always the MVP and leading scorer on teams as he grew up. Some of the negativity was based on Konstantin’s putting so much time and effort into his son in California at a time when the sport wasn’t as prominent as it is today.
The father’s long, dedicated hours continued from Ivan’s birth until 2008, when the family decided to purchase an arena in Anaheim so Ivan could practice whenever he needed. Obtaining ice time for practice was always an issue, so owning your own ice rink would solve this problem.
Several years after purchasing the rink, it was clear Ivan was not receiving the proper developmental attention he needed in southern California. He needed to be seen by scouts, and that would only happen if he played in an area where hockey had a larger presence.
Still very young, he could not yet be sent off to live on his own, but the family now owned an ice arena they operated for a living. The situation presented a difficult challenge and a family compromise was achieved.
Masha was asked to suspend her pursuit of a college degree in design to stay in California by herself during the hockey season to run the family business while Konstantin and Irina went north with Ivan. It was all in to realize Ivan’s goal of a career in hockey.
Now 26, Masha managed the day-to-day operations at KHS Ice Arena while Ivan and their parents were in Erie for his three seasons of junior hockey. The loyal older sister gave up her career aspirations for her brother, understanding that hockey and her family came first. Masha understood that Ivan at least deserved the opportunity to chase his dreams of making it in the world of hockey.
The appreciative Ivan realized what his sister did for him. Masha sensed the appreciation by how hard her brother worked on the ice to eventually become a potential NHL draft prospect.
In 2013, Ivan and his parents moved to the Detroit area in an effort to get noticed by scouts in a move purely for hockey. Being close to the border gave him the chance to play against top Canadian prospects. Ivan spent 2014-2015 playing for Honeybaked U-16 in Detroit, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists in 26 games. This got him noticed, and he was selected in the first round of the 2015 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Draft by the Erie Otters (one of three U.S.-based teams to play in the league).
Adapting to the OHL was not easy and Ivan relied on his parents and teammates to keep him grounded. He learned to play a simpler game, allowing him to understand how the game works and then begin showing off his personal skills.
His adjustments fueled three successful campaigns in Erie, Pa. In 190 games he tallied 62 goals and 154 points. Playing major minutes in the OHL put him in a spotlight, another new experience for him.
His junior eligibility exhausted, now comes the realization that his professional hockey career is beginning. The family still shakes in disbelief when they recall hearing Ivan’s name announced as the 85th overall selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Hearing his name get called was an incredible experience for the entire family – one they will never forget.
Naturally, father, mother and sister sacrificed a great deal to help Ivan, yet he would not be in his present situation were it not for his own dedication and hard work. Much credit for his personal achievements belongs to Ivan Lodnia. He proved it on the ice.
Ihor Stelmach may be reached at
[email protected].