Getting pucks in deep, celebrating a “celly,” burning the barn. Whenever people think about foreign athletes playing hockey in North America, they usually wonder how a player will fit within a new league or a new system. But seldom do they think about the seemingly small but important aspect of the game — learning the language of the game itself.
When one follows sports long and consistently enough, they start picking up expressions until it feels like they are learning a new language. But for foreign players like Ilona Markova, that process is literal. They have to learn the English language, while also mastering all the unique vocabulary that comes with being an athlete.
Despite attending classes at UBC’s English Language Institute before her season officially began in December, the Russian forward still makes mistakes from time to time. But according to head coach Graham Thomas, that’s never been an issue.
“She lightens the mood at times because she’s funny or she doesn’t quite understand all the North American lingo and all the little inner jokes or [...] she’ll say something and it won’t be exactly how it’s supposed to be translated,” he said. “It's pretty funny and everybody laughs and then she's like 'what?’ [But] she's just got a good personality about it, she doesn't take it too seriously.”
Despite the linguistic barriers that come with playing in the Canada West, Markova wasn’t deterred. It was simply another obstacle in a hockey journey that, surprisingly, didn’t begin with hockey.
Growing up in western Russia, Markova's mother chose all the extracurricular activities for her and her older sister. At the age of four she was already doing gymnastics and ice skating, but those sports mostly served as preparation for what her mother believed would be a “bright future” as a hockey player.
But Markova didn’t see it that way, at least not at first. “I always [felt] so ugly. When [my mom] gave me a helmet, I was thinking like, ‘Oh my God, that's so embarrassing,’ because I was [very feminine] … and I had no idea what to do,” she said.
Despite not enjoying hockey at first, she worked hard and eventually warmed up to the sport after a conversation with her mother. “She told me, ‘I think you handle it really well, [and] nobody can take it back from you. I think you're really talented, and [hockey is] your sport.’”
After that, Markova finally saw her potential. Between playing on boys teams, earning the respect of her coaches and her mother’s observations, the forward finally recognized what everyone else already knew: she did have a bright future as a hockey player. Now, at just 24 years old, Markova believes that her career is already brilliant.
At the age of 15, she started playing for her first professional team, SKIF Nizhny Novgorod, and the following year made her first international appearance representing Russia at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) U18 Women’s World Championship. Two years later, she captained the team to her first medal — a bronze — with the Russian national team.
In the 2018–19 season, she signed with Agidel Ufa in hopes of developing her game, earning more ice time and assuming more responsibility. During her seven seasons playing for the team, she played on both power play and penalty kill, which helped build her confidence.
“I played a lot and the coach trusted me a lot. He was pushing me every day, and telling me what my strong sides [were]. And I was realizing who I am as a player, so that was one of the best periods of my life,” said Markova.
The forward recorded 72 goals and 104 assists in 214 games with Agidel Ufa, helping the team win the league 4 times.
The continued development of her game and increasing ice time earned her a spot on the Russian Olympic Committee's (ROC) senior national team in 2021, where she played at the IIHF Women’s World Championship in Calgary. Despite the ROC’s early exit in the quarterfinals, Markova was named one of the team's best players, earning her a place on the ROC’s roster for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
“My mom and I [always thought] that I [was] going to be at the Olympics when I'm 20. That was our huge plan and we just knew I [was] going to be there, and then when I was 20, I was [a part of the] Olympic roster. I played in the first line and I was so ready.”
But unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Markova tested positive for COVID-19 just before her flight to Beijing, forcing her to miss her Olympic debut. It was the first of a few setbacks that would define her journey from Russian hockey to the Thunderbirds.
In 2024, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) second season draft saw Markova become the first Russian player selected into the league. The Boston Fleet chose her 37th overall, and she briefly met some teammates before being cut from the final roster.
But despite the disappointment of not being able to play in the PWHL, Markova kept her head up and used the setback as motivation to keep getting better. “They cut me, and I just realized I will do everything to come back,” she said. When I had this feeling… when you touch something for a little bit, you want to go [back] there so bad, it's kind of what motivated me every day.”
After her brief time in the PWHL, Markova tried to play at a National Collegiate Athletic Association university, but because of visa issues and NCAA age rules, she was unable to.
Without any opportunities to play in the United States, Markova returned to Russia, but getting signed turned out to be more difficult than expected. Russian teams looked unfavourably at her attempts to play overseas — losing the trust they had in Markova — despite the accolades and development she had achieved during her years in the Zhenskaya Hockey League.
And that’s when, as Markova describes it, a “miracle” happened. Her agent contacted and connected with UBC’s head coach Thomas, who immediately noticed her offensive skills and speed, and believed she would fit the team well, considering she was close in age to its seniors players.
As soon as Markova arrived in Vancouver, she started working to become eligible to play. The forward trained with a boys team to get ice time before joining UBC’s team, and took English classes during her first term to reach the language level required to enrol at the university. She was only cleared to practice with the Thunderbirds between late October and early November of 2025, and was officially eligible to play in the Canada West in January 2026.
From the get-go, coach Thomas had a great impression of her.
“She was always smiling and laughing and just worked hard. [She was] professional with her work ethic. She would train and she'd go for runs on her own,” he said. “She just wanted to get better. She had a pro mentality and a pro mindset right away, so that was great because that fit into our group.”
Despite the fact that Markova arrived at UBC after the season's lines and systems were already established, she worked hard to find her place. “She had a good attitude about [finding her place on the team]. [She had a] ‘put me wherever you need me’ kind of situation and understood the team-first mentality,” Thomas explained.
The way hockey is played in North America is very different from the way it’s played in Russia, which made Markova feel as though she was relearning parts of the sport. Her game was also an adjustment for the coaching staff and her teammates, given that Markova’s style of play is very fast and creative, exploiting any small gaps in her opponents’ defence to create scoring chances.
Regardless of her limited offensive production during the regular season, Markova scored goals in both the semifinals and finals in the Canada West championship. Building chemistry took a while for everyone involved, but by the playoffs, Markova felt that she had found common ground with her linemates.
At the National Championships, despite UBC’s disappointing performance and an opening-game elimination after a dramatic shootout, Markova proved herself an important asset to the team. She consistently pressured the puck and played skillfully, despite dealing with illness throughout the championship.
While Markova still pauses occasionally to search for the right English word or asks a teammate to explain hockey lingo, having navigated a new language, a career filled with setbacks and the long distance from her family, these moments hardly faze her anymore. The language of hockey may have been one of her first challenges at UBC, but she has already mastered the one thing that matters most: letting her game speak for itself.
