The news about the illness of the 18-year-old child prodigy from Avangard shocked even people far from hockey this spring. Ivan Miroshnichenko has long been considered one of the main talents of his generation, and experts have already predicted a bright career for him abroad. However, an unexpected and terrible diagnosis put Vanya’s star prospects into question.

However, the young body coped with cancer faster than expected. The player was supposed to miss at least a whole season due to treatment, but after a couple of months he returned to training. And now he is preparing for the NHL draft.

Is a new Russian star about to appear overseas?

“Ivan has Hodgkin’s lymphoma”

Ivan’s illness became known in early March. Avangard, in whose system the young hockey player has been playing since 2020, then made an official statement, but they did not go into details of the situation in the club:

– After one of the examinations, Ivan was diagnosed with health problems, at the moment the player is undergoing treatment in Germany, – they said in Omsk.

Ivan Miroshnichenko / Photo: © KHL / Yury Kuzmin

However, by that time, information about the nature of the “health problems” of the hockey player mentioned in the Avangard press release had already leaked to the media. And the diagnosis of the young player turned out to be even worse than expected – cancer.

Vanguard admitted. For ethical reasons, I did not write what I already knew for a long time. Ivan has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He will definitely overcome this disease. We believe in him,” journalist Aleksey Shevchenko wrote on his Telegram channel.

The hope of a generation

Vanya, of course, had to pause her career. By that time, Miroshnichenko was already considered one of the most talented hockey players of his generation. At the Youth Olympics 2020, he acted as the captain of the Russian national team – and ultimately led his team to historical gold, also becoming one of the top scorers in the tournament.

It is not surprising that in the same winter, Vanya moved from Vityaz near Moscow to Avangard. The striker brilliantly showed himself as part of the Omsk Hawks in the MHL and in the same year helped Russia win the Junior World Cup. The very next season, Miroshnichenko made his debut in the VHL, having received a promotion to Omsk Wings, but due to illness, the hockey player had to end the campaign ahead of schedule.

Ivan Miroshnichenko / Photo: © FHR

According to initial forecasts, the hockey player had to miss the whole season due to treatment. Vanya’s participation in the NHL Draft, which is due on July 7-8 in Montreal, was also under threat: at the overseas auction, the Russian was considered one of the most valuable lots …

Vanya is back!

Fortunately, Ivan’s young body successfully copes with the disease. Back in early May, it became known that the player was gradually recovering, and the disease itself proceeded without complications.

Recently, Avangard fans received even more encouraging news about their hockey player. American journalist Lance Lisowski on social networks said that Ivan had already undergone a course of treatment – and even returned to training. Apparently, Miroshnichenko has practically defeated oncology: according to the press, the striker plans to play next season and is not going to miss the NHL draft.

I would like to believe that now the health problems of the young hockey player will remain in the past – and soon we will be able to see him in the Avangard uniform, and then somewhere overseas.