Mr Viral
The next few years in Montreal are going to be exciting.
Especially when we see Ivan Demidov performing as he does this season in the KHL.
The Canadiens prospect collected three more points today in a loss for his team, bringing his total to 35 (in 44 games) since the start of the season. For a guy who wasn’t playing much in the early weeks of the campaign… It’s clear that his production is really interesting.
But today, even though his team lost, Roman Rotenberg decided to praise him.
Wow… He must be running a fever, the good old Rotenberg!
That’s the first thought that came to my mind when I saw that the head coach of SKA praised his player.
Because we can all agree on this: it doesn’t happen often.
Rotenberg mentioned after his team’s game that Demidov “has reached another level” and that the pressure doesn’t affect him.
He also said that other young players his age are not as mentally strong as Demidov:
SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg said that Ivan Demidov “has reached a new level, no external pressure affects him.” He said that other players his age are not as mentally strong in the face of pressure.
— Andrew Zadarnowski (@AZadarski) January 16, 2025
Roman Rotenberg could have reverted to his old routine upon seeing Demidov get tossed after just three minutes of play for delaying the game.
But the SKA coach chose to trust his young player by giving him his most ice time of the season (22:05).
The result? Demidov finished the game with a goal and two assists, and he was his team’s offensive engine during the match.
The team lost… But we saw that Demidov is capable of great things when used the right way.
Moreover, it seems that the Canadiens’ visit to Russia has done him a world of good.
When looking at the player’s last 10 games, we realize that Rotenberg is right in saying he has reached another level:
Nine goals and six assists (15 points)
36 shots on goal
A plus-minus of plus-6
Only two games without a point
Lastly, it is worth noting that Demidov – with his performance today – is only seven points away from Kirill Kaprizov’s record for the most points scored by a 19-year-old in the KHL (42).
Hard to ask for more. And Rotenberg doesn’t seem crazy for praising the qualities of the kid!
In a nutshell
– Good for him.
Pierre-Luc Dubois has found his identity and he is happier than ever with the Capitals #ALLCAPS@JFChaumontLNH met with him. Worth reading! https://t.co/rZaerhM3rI pic.twitter.com/Yog2rX3NcE
— LNH (@LNH_FR) January 16, 2025
–
We forgot a stick for Florian
We forgot a stick for Florian pic.twitter.com/OHz8kcxv5Y
— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) January 16, 2025
– It is really well deserved.
Aleksander Barkov has been named Finland’s Athlete of the Year after becoming the first Finn to captain a team to the Stanley Cup.
Incredibly, he’s the first hockey player EVER to receive that award in a passionate hockey nation. https://t.co/in3EnPfdEo
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 16, 2025
– We might even add Lane Hutson’s name to that list!
For the young fans who grew up through the years of Plekanec and Koivu, the Hughes era will mark a significant change.
With Suzuki, Caufield, and Demidov, the Canadiens could feature three players flirting with a point per game, and this for many years.
— Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) January 16, 2025
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings