As Montreal Canadiens fans eagerly await the arrival of Ivan Demidov, many have come to terms with the fact that the Russian forward is unlikely to join the team until next season.
Drafted fifth overall by the Habs this summer, the 19-year-old winger is currently playing out the final year of his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg. However, that timeline could change with a visit to Russia by members of the Canadiens’ management team.
In an interview with Russian outlet Match TV, SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg shared details about an in-person meeting with Canadiens GM Kent Hughes, scouting director Nick Bobrov, and special advisor of hockey operations Vincent Lecavalier, who all travelled to watch Demidov in action.
“People showed respect by flying to us. They flew around the world,” Rotenberg said after SKA’s loss to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on Tuesday. “We will have negotiations tomorrow.”
What those negotiations may entail is hard to say. But Rotenberg confirmed that he will be sure to fill Montreal in on Demidov’s development. The forward’s wavering ice time, which the Habs have voiced their frustration about may also be worth discussing.
“We will definitely discuss how Ivan Demidov is developing, and how to improve his implementation.”
On Wednesday SKA’s bench boss shared a Telegram post featuring a photo from his meeting with members of the Canadiens’ brass.
Before heading back to Montreal, Hughes and his team might also use the opportunity to check in with another Russian prospect, defenceman Bogdan Konyushkov.
In a recent interview with RG.org, the young blueliner, selected 110th overall in the 2023 draft, noted that his communication with the Canadiens has been minimal, especially when compared to Demidov.
“There is no specific development plan. Two or three months ago they wrote me and asked how I was doing. They also sent video clips of one NHL defenseman playing,” Konyushkov noted. “Other than that, there was no communication. I don’t have such close communication with them as with Demidov.”
While it remains unlikely whether Demidov, who has 20 points in 34 KHL games, will join the Canadiens this season, it’s worth remembering that SKA terminated the final two years of Matvei Michkov’s contract last season, paving the way for him to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier than expected.