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Ivan Demidov’s coach “wouldn’t have been here without his father”

 Jennifer Davis
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Ivan Demidov’s coach “wouldn’t have been here without his father”
Credit: Capture d'écran / Screenshot

For a while now, there’s been concern surrounding Ivan Demidov. Seeing the kid get very limited ice time isn’t exactly ideal for his development.

It’s a risk that comes with drafting players from Russia… and right now, we’re seeing it.

In Montreal, Demidov’s coach with SKA, Roman Rotenberg, is the target of countless criticisms. It’s hard to understand why he should refuse playing time to a youngster who is clearly one of his most talented offensive players.

And the question also interested Nicolas Cloutier (TVA Sports), who chatted to Jean Lévesque, a history professor with an interest in international sport and Russia, on the subject. And Lévesque has his own explanation for why Rotenberg has the job:

Without his dad, [Roman Rotenberg] certainly wouldn’t be here. – Jean Lévesque

What’s important to know is that Rotenberg was planted in this chair because of his Russian connections. His father is close to Vladimir Putin, and although Rotenberg has a background in hockey, he had almost no coaching experience before getting this job.

We can talk about nepotism… but we can also talk about the influence of the Russian president in all this. He clearly has a say in all this.

In a context where the KHL is trying to establish its credibility as a league and compete with the NHL, we can therefore assume that someone somewhere wants to put pressure on the most talented players to encourage them to stay instead of leaving for the NHL. And when I say “someone somewhere”, it’s because you have to wonder whether it’s really Rotenberg who’s making this decision… or whether it’s someone above him.

Obviously, for the Habs, this isn’t an ideal situation. The club needs its prospects to get ice time. Seeing him limited to three minutes of ice time today isn’t exactly conducive to his development, especially since he could have really helped his team win a game in which SKA was defeated 4-3.

It’s easy to call Rotenberg names, and the frustration of Habs fans is understandable in this situation.

That said, the question is whether that frustration is being directed at the right person… and Nicolas Cloutier’s excellent paper offers some good food for thought.


Overtime

– A 3-1 victory for the Devils… who taunted the Sabres after a two-game sweep.

– He’s been one of my favorite prospects since his draft year. I can’t wait to see him in the NHL this season.

– Sabres injuries.

– Erik Karlsson expects to be ready for the first game of the year.

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