Ivan Demidov, head coach (and organizer) of the CH’s training sessions this summer

Marc-Olivier Cook
Ivan Demidov, head coach (and organizer) of the CH’s training sessions this summer
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

Lane Hutson is a hard worker.

He's always the first one out on the ice for practice, and he's often one of the last to leave, too. We've seen that ever since he arrived in Montreal.

But there's another young player on the Canadiens who can keep up with him at that level: Ivan Demidov. The two of them push each other to become better hockey players, and in a way, it's great to see because it's encouraging for the years ahead.

Demidov is just like Hutson: he lives and breathes hockey, too. He spends hours and hours on the ice during the summer because he wants to improve, and that's when you realize just how great his attitude is.

But it goes even further than that.

Because according to what we've learned here at DLC, Demidov himself is organizing the Canadiens' training sessions this summer. For example? This morning, several players from the Montreal club were on the ice in Brossard: Ivan, Alexander Zharovsky, Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Carrier, Jayden Struble, Samuel Montembeault…

And Demidov played a role in that: 

I remember seeing Nick Suzuki skating in Brossard in the middle of summer a year ago, along with several of his teammates.

And at the time, we thought the captain was leading by example (which was true, too).

But that's exactly what Ivan Demidov is doing as well. He's making arrangements so his teammates can practice with him before the start of the upcoming season, and that can always be a good thing, too.

But it's especially impressive coming from a guy who barely spoke any English a year ago and who has just finished his first full season in the National Hockey League.

He clearly wants to be seen as someone who pushes others to be even better, and that's part of the culture that's been established within the organization since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton arrived.

I like seeing that. Because it can inspire other guys to work harder… and because it means that even the young Canadiens players get the message: to be better, you have to put in the effort.

And it hasn't always been that way in Montreal in recent years… #Kotkaniemi 


In a Nutshell

– Makes sense.

– Speaking of Bedard:

– Well done.

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