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It’s funny, hearing Roman Rotenberg praise Ivan Demidov in that way
Marc-Olivier Cook
It’s funny, hearing Roman Rotenberg praise Ivan Demidov in that way
Credit: Getty Images

We covered Ivan Demidov’s entire season with SKA Saint-Petersburg.

And there was a finding that came back fairly often.

Why doesn’t Roman Rotenberg use him as he should? Why is the Canadiens’ prospect often punished by his coach, when he is the best scorer on his team and one of the most productive players in the KHL? We’ve all heard those questions…

But when you hear Rotenberg talk about Demidov like he did on BPM Sports today, you really realize that SKA’s decisions were based on contract negotiations with the player.

Because the team’s head coach really liked Ivan Demidov.

It’s no wonder he talks about him as a fantastic player, a guy who has the assets to dominate a league like the NHL and who was the MVP of SKA in the playoffs.

Roman Rotenberg sang the praises of the Canadiens’ prospect and did it beautifully. He even compared him to Artemi Panarin, saying Demidov could have a similar impact in Montreal.

Panarin, let’s remember, had a lot of success (77 points in 80 games) from his arrival in Chicago.

That being said, it’s funny to hear Rotenberg say things like that after seeing Demidov being benched several times this season…

It shows one thing: in Russia, things are done differently.

Roman Rotenberg recognizes Ivan Demidov’s talent and didn’t hesitate to praise him because the player had a great season in the KHL for a guy his age.

But that didn’t stop SKA’s head coach from using “questionable” techniques with his young player all season long, and that got people talking for fairly normal reasons.

A team must use its best players to win. And that wasn’t always the case with Demidov this season in Russia.

But okay. The good news? Ivan Demidov is coming, he signed his contract with the Canadiens… and he’ll be able to help the team quickly on the ice.

In the end, that’s what matters.

(Credit: Getty Images)

If you have the chance to listen to Roman Rotenberg’s interview on BPM Sports, I recommend taking the time to do so.

I say it’s funny to hear Rotenberg praise Ivan Demidov… But it’s also funny to hear Martin Lemay speak so kindly to one of Vladimir Putin’s good friends with everything that’s going on in Russia right now. #War

Do I need to remind you that the Canadiens got roasted for their visit to Russia – and for meeting Rotenberg – last December? It wasn’t that long ago, after all…

Will Martin Lemay receive comments like that from the media that criticized the Canadiens? Hum…


In Overtime

– File to watch.

– Oh, yeah!

– Sad news.

– What to do with Monty going forward?

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