It’s a name so nice you say it twice, and Avalanche fans might be doing so for years to come.

Fourteen months ago, Ivan Ivan was a guy entering his first NHL training camp on an AHL contract. Fast forward to today, and he’s become a favorite of Jared Bednar’s.

“He’s a trusted two-way player,” Bednar said of the 22-year-old. “He makes all the right decisions away from the puck. With the puck, he’s responsible.”

The words “trusted” and “responsible” are about as high a compliment as you can get from an NHL coach as a young player. That means you’re in line to receive the most valuable currency a young player can get — playing time. To start the season, Ivan saw limited playing time, playing fewer than 10 minutes in each of the first five games. He played well in those minutes, which meant an increase in minutes.

Since then, he’s only seen himself play fewer than 10 minutes once, and even made his way to the top power play unit for a few games. That on-ice experience was invaluable for the Czech Republic native, and he made sure to listen to some of the top players in the world during meetings.

“There’s a lot I learned just from talking to the guys,” Ivan said. “They’ve played at a high level for so many years, best players in the league.”

Ivan scored his first NHL goal in Utah playing in the bumper spot on that top power play unit, a spot the Avalanche have used effectively this year, no matter who is in it. The conversations he had with some of those elite players stuck with him when the puck ended up on his stick.

Instead of shooting it right away, he took his time with the puck and placed his shot perfectly. That’s the sign of a player picking things up quickly, and the Avalanche believe he can continue to get better.

“We’re trying to get him to trust his skill,” Bednar said of Ivan. “He’s still learning the game a little bit and just how hard and competitive and physical you have to be in order to have success, but he started using his skating a little bit more. He’s a great skater…we’re trying to push him to use that to his advantage and he’s starting to do that.”

Before the season started, Ivan said he felt significantly more comfortable compared to a year ago. Less than one month later, that comfort continues to grow.

“I’ve got way more confidence, especially playing here and at this level,” he said. “Starting to understand the game way more than I was last year, so it’s been really good.”

Ivan and fellow rookie Nikolai Kovalenko both sit in the top seven in scoring among rookies in the NHL. A month ago, nobody could have seen that coming. Right now, their spots are secure because of all the injuries the Avalanche are dealing with, but one thing working against both of them is that they can go to the AHL without having to pass through waivers. If the team gets healthy, tough decisions must be made, but that’s only a “positive thing,” Bednar said.

Given how the Avalanche coach talks about Ivan, his spot should be secure. Either way, the future looks bright for the young forward. It looks like the Avalanche may have struck undrafted gold with Ivan, just like they did a few years back with Logan O’Connor.

And who wouldn’t want another Logan O’Connor?

What I’m hearing

—Colorado must make a decision soon on which goaltenders it plans to keep. We’re approaching 30 days since the team claimed Kaapo Kahkonen and three goaltenders at practice isn’t good for anyone.

“For now, we have three,” Bednar said this week. “I don’t really make those decisions. I’m just trying to manage the situation.”

—It’s been a slow start to the season for Devon Toews. He doesn’t have a goal yet and Bednar has not been afraid to move him away from Makar.

“I’d say it’s OK,” Bednar said of Toews’ start to the year. “Obviously, hits a bump in the road and misses time. I’d say his game hasn’t got quite up to par where I would want it to be and where he wants it to be after his return. I need him to be a little bit more assertive in his game.”

Toews is in year one of a $50.75 million extension he signed a year ago.

What I’m seeing

—Casey Mittelstadt could realistically go from playing with Joel Kiviranta and Logan O’Connor against the Jets to playing with Valeri Nichushkin and Jonathan Drouin in a week. No offense to the first two, who are good role players, but that would be a huge upgrade for Colorado’s second line.

—If it did come down to choosing between one of Ivan or Kovalenko to keep if the team gets healthy, my gut tells me Ivan is the one who would stick. His ability to play center also helps his case. Kovalenko does lead the team in penalties drawn and can be a menace on the forecheck, but I get the feeling the staff doesn’t love some of the risks he takes with the puck.

What I’m thinking

—Every year there are teams that get off to hot starts and aren’t able to sustain it over the course of a full season. The Minnesota Wild might be one of those teams. They currently sit at 8-2-2, but there are signs that team is completely for real. When a team’s actual goals-for percentage is significantly higher than its expected goals-for percentage, it’s typically a sign that they’ve had some good luck on their side. 

—At this rate, we might see Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record for goals in a season. He’s already up to eight after finishing last season strong.

Of course, if there hadn’t been multiple work stoppages in his career, he probably would have broken it a year or two ago. Washington has had a strong start to the year, and its underlying numbers don’t look that bad. The Capitals were one of the worst-ever teams to make the playoffs last season but look like they’ve improved quite a bit this season.