Demidov looks fearful in front of his coach

When he was selected by the Canadiens in the 5ᵉ spot at the last draft, Ivan Demidov looked like such a happy kid.

A little guy who had finally achieved his childhood dream.

He’s having trouble getting the absolute trust of his coach, Roman Rotenberg, even though he’s producing a lot for an 18-year-old.

Recently, SKA St. Petersburg held a press conference with Rotenberg, Demidov and another teammate.

And to be honest, Demidov doesn’t look too happy. At least, not the way he looked at the draft.

SKA coach Roman Rotenberg talking about Ivan Demidov yesterday:

“He also wants to be better, right? He is 18 years old, young, talented…but there is something to work on.”

pic.twitter.com/O5h02T8Yih

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 8, 2024

It’s normal to experience pressure as an 18-year-old player in the KHL, drafted 5ᵉ picks overall.

But listening to the press conference with English subtitles, you really get a sense of fear from the Habs prospect.

What’s more, after saying that Demidov is young and talented, he didn’t hesitate to say that he needs to work on some things and that he simply wants the best for his team.

“He’s young and talented, but there’s a lot to work on. I also try to improve my work every day and give more to the team than other coaches can give.” – Roman Rotenberg

Rotenberg is also seen looking at Demidov awaiting the latter’s approval after saying that the competitive spirit is present and you have to be competitive to win.

It looks as if Rotenberg wants to point the finger at Demidov’s lack of competitiveness and fighting spirit.

With so few clips of SKA games, it’s hard to get a good overall idea of the player, given little details like competitiveness.

Still, the stats are there and the Habs prospect dominates when he plays and the team wins when he produces.

One plus one makes two, doesn’t it?

If Demidov gets reasonable playing time, he produces and his team’s record is much better when he’s on the scoresheet.

Lack of consistency in his use can prepare him for the worst, but it can also affect his confidence.