Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [News] With the 205th OA pick the Flames select D Ilya Solovyov

1qqaaz · 10-08-2020, 10:52 AM

His family is just from that Polish-Ukrainian-Belorussian corridor that was formerly part of the Russian empire (until the end of WWI).

Belarus was never really a country (created for the first time after the collapse of Russia in WWI). For most of the last 1000 years, those lands were part of Poland/Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Neither was Ukraine, unless you go back to the Kievan Rus, which was also the predecessor state of Russia.

A lot of people in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba have that Ukranian-Polish mix. I don't think Gretzky is any different (even though he's from Ontario). Except Walter Gretzky can apparently still speak Polish. It's easier just to say Slavic.

10-08-2020, 10:52 AM	#31
1qqaaz Franchise Player Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indiana Exp:	His family is just from that Polish-Ukrainian-Belorussian corridor that was formerly part of the Russian empire (until the end of WWI). Belarus was never really a country (created for the first time after the collapse of Russia in WWI). For most of the last 1000 years, those lands were part of Poland/Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Neither was Ukraine, unless you go back to the Kievan Rus, which was also the predecessor state of Russia. A lot of people in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba have that Ukranian-Polish mix. I don't think Gretzky is any different (even though he's from Ontario). Except Walter Gretzky can apparently still speak Polish. It's easier just to say Slavic. Last edited by 1qqaaz; 10-08-2020 at 11:27 AM.