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Valeri Nichushkin: Ivan Demidov’s Russian coach opens the door to his arrival

 Jessica Williams
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Valeri Nichushkin: Ivan Demidov’s Russian coach opens the door to his arrival
Credit: Getty Images

Next year, Ivan Demidov will be playing for a big club in Russia. Assuming he does indeed have a place with SKA in the KHL, he’ll be playing on a team that will be a powerhouse.

The arrival of Evgeny Kuznetsov (and the potential arrival of Tony DeAngelo) has cemented this status for a club that was already banking on talented players.

As a result, there are plenty of resources up front, so Demidov may find it a little difficult to get quality playing time. His coach may have talked to the Habs to reassure the club, but Demidov will still have to fight for a spot.

But in the last few hours, there’s been another interesting development in all this. Roman Rotenberg, Demidov’s coach in Russia, was asked if Valeri Nichushkin was in SKA’s plans this season… and he didn’t close the door:

Will [Nichushkin] be with SKA? We’ll see. Anything’s possible. – Roman Rotenberg

It should be remembered that Nichushkin is currently serving a suspension of at least six months, making him ineligible to return to NHL action until (at least) mid-November. That said, we know that his departure during the last playoffs greatly weakened his relationship with his teammates in Colorado.

We know the Avalanche aren’t particularly keen on letting him go… but at the same time, seeing him throw shade at the organization this summer can’t have helped the relationship.

Rotenberg says he has the impression that, at the moment, Nichushkin intends to stay in the NHL… and understandably so, considering he’s still set to earn $35.5 million between now and the end of his contract in 2030. That said, if the SKA coach has mentioned this possibility, it’s because the chances of him going to Russia this season are not zero.

He’d turn up his nose at a lot of money, but he could break his NHL contract (as Evgeny Kuznetsov did) and go play in his native country.

If Nichushkin were to land with SKA (and rumor has it in Russia that the club expects him by December), it would add even more competition for Ivan Demidov, who would surely fall behind a Nichushkin who arrived in style.

And eventually, SKA will be tight for money (there’s a salary cap in the KHL). There’s that to consider too.

Could Nichushkin’s possible arrival prompt SKA to let Demidov go to America sooner rather than later? It could help the club financially, and if Demidov doesn’t have any more room, getting some money from the Habs to let go a player who has to leave in less than a year anyway might be worth considering.

It’s an issue that, for a ton of reasons, will be closely watched.


Overtime

– Speaking of the Avalanche.

– Still.

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