KHL Coach Shares Ivan Demidov’s Plans
The recent development about NHL teams having the chance to negotiate deals with KHL teams for their prospect’s rights had Montreal Canadiens fans excited about the possibility of Ivan Demidov coming to Montreal this upcoming season. Demidov’s KHL team SKA St. Petersburg also recently signed Evgeni Kuznetsov to a contract, which closed one more roster spot in the forward group.
However, SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg fanned those flames in an interview with MatchTV in Russia. Rotenberg had a meeting with Canadiens brass including Kent Hughes and Vincent Lecavalier, and it seems like both parties are set on keeping Demidov in Russia for another year.
One intriguing comment that Rotenberg made was that their focus is on Demidov having a great season in Russia on a highly skilled SKA roster. The team made some signings for veteran NHL players in the offseason, so they plan on making a good run at the league championship. SKA and the Canadiens seem to want Demidov to play one season professionally in the KHL before playing in the NHL.
The Canadiens could have tried negotiating a deal with the KHL to bring Demidov over and start in the AHL. However, it’d be more comfortable for him to play at home for a season and skip the AHL step. Canadiens fans need to temper their expectations for Demidov this season and realize that the extra year in Russia will be better for him.
Demidov will now come to North America with a year of professional development under his belt and still have three years left on his entry-level deal. The window will also match the rest of the Canadiens’ young roster in their primes. We may want to see what Demidov can do in North America as soon as possible, but patience is key.
