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Ivan Demidov’s priority this summer: work on his skating stroke
Félix Forget
Ivan Demidov’s priority this summer: work on his skating stroke
Credit: Getty Images
Ivan Demidov came to Montreal as a surprise at the end of last season. His Russian team, SKA, decided to release him before the end of his contract, which was (really) not planned.

This allowed the kid to acclimatize a little to Montreal, but also to the NHL game. He played two games at the end of the regular season, then five playoff games.

And without saying that he “pulled out all the stops”, it was clear that, despite some very promising sequences, he still needed a little time to adapt.

The good news is that Demidov got his first taste of the NHL, and now he knows what it takes. He’ll now spend his summer in town, where he’ll practice in preparation for next season.

And Paul Byron, who works in player development for the Habs, is keeping a close eye on him… and according to Ti-Paul, the young Russian’s priority this summer is to work on his skating stroke.

Even before he was drafted, Demidov’s skating technique was called into question. It’s pretty unorthodox, after all, and one wonders if the Habs aren’t working with him a bit to “correct” it.

It’s also entirely possible that they’re letting him keep his technique and just trying to help him improve, but obviously Demidov wants to improve his skating stroke.

But Byron obviously likes what he’s seen of Demidov so far. He’s praised Demidov’s many qualities (his talent, his hands and his vision, among others), and he’s convinced that Demidov will arrive at camp ready for the season.

And Ti-Paul is convinced that Demidov is going to be “another great player for the fans to watch”.

We know that the kid has a thirst for improvement, and seeing him work on his skating leads me to believe that he’s capable of identifying his “weaknesses” and correcting them. That’s the right attitude for a young player, and I can’t wait to see how he does next season.

And for those who want a taste, maybe we’ll already see an improvement on July 12, when he visits Boisbriand…


Overtime

– Speaking of the wolf.

– Today’s news from the Montreal CF.

– Wow.

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