Icemen Bolster Blue Line with the Return of Ivan Chukarov

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Jacksonville Icemen, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced today that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Ivan Chukarov for the 2024-25 season.  

Chukarov, 29, returns for a second in Jacksonville after posting career highs in points (28), goals (5) and assists (23) last season, earning the Icemen Defenseman of the Year Award last season. 

The 6-3, 200-pound blue liner has totaled 60 points (11g, 49a) with 96 penalty minutes in 219 career ECHL games split between the Icemen, Adirondack Thunder and Worcester Railers from 2018-2024. During the 2022-23 season, Chukarov made one appearance with the AHL’s Utica Comets. 

Prior to his professional career, Chukarov played four collegiate seasons at the University of UMass-Amherst totaling 25 points (6g, 19a) and winning a Hockey East Conference regular season title in 2019.  Chukarov also won a Robertson Cup championship with the NAHL’s Minnesota Wilderness in 2015, capping off a 44-point season.  The Des Plaines, Illinois resident was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the seventh-round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. 

Chukarov joins fellow defensemen Garrett Van Wyhe and Connor Russell, along with forwards Christopher Brown, Logan Cockerill, Chris Grando, Justin McRae on the list of players that have agreed to terms with the Icemen for the 2024-25 season.  

The Icemen open the 2024-25 season on Saturday, October 19 against the Florida Everblades.  Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. Full and partial Icemen ticket packages are currently on sale!  Payment plans are also available. Contact the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit www.jacksonvilleicemen.com for more information.

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