Bogdan Konyushkov On Heading To Canadiens Development Camp, Reaction to Demidov’s Debut

Bogdan Konyushkov (Photo by HC Torpedo)

Bogdan Konyushkov is a promising young defenseman selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft. At just 22, he has already played three seasons at the professional level in the KHL for Novgorod Torpedo, where he was given a top-4 role on one of the more competitive teams in the KHL.

On top of a full KHL season, Konyushkov competed in the VHL playoffs for Torpedo Gorky, Torpedo’s farm team, and won the Petrov Cup. Konyushkov had an impressive playoff run, playing 17 games in Russia’s second-tier league and earning 13 points (3 goals and 10 assists). Notably, he participated in a marathon game during the quarterfinals against Chelmet, which ended after five overtimes and lasted 158:05, the third-longest game in VHL history. Konyushkov himself logged an incredible 58:46 minutes over 66 shifts.

Coming To Montreal

After beginning the season in early September, Konyushkov’s year has only just now come to an end. But there's no time to rest, as he'll soon be Montreal-bound for the Canadiens’ development camp in July.

In a break from tradition, Konyushkov is expected to partake in on-ice drills and development time with the Canadiens development team. It was usually not allowed for KHL talent in the past, but Konyushkov has confirmed he will be a full participant and is excited to get the ball rolling.

“I've already received my visa and will fly to Canada this summer. I couldn’t go last summer because I didn’t have a passport. As soon as I got one, I immediately applied for a visa,” Konyushkov told RG in an exclusive interview.

Konyushkov’s contract with Torpedo expires next year, and the question on everyone’s mind is: Will the Canadiens sign him? He shared that he has maintained contact with the Canadiens during the season, but can’t speak to how closely Montreal followed his performance in the VHL.

“I don’t know if they watched or not; nobody congratulated me on the Сup.

I think they know what kind of player I am. We only communicate on practical on-ice stuff. I'm just waiting for tickets to find out when and where I'll fly,” explained Konyushkov.

Despite that, he’s very excited to be making his way to Montreal and get a first-hand look at what could potentially be his future home as early as the 2026-27 season.

Happy For Demidov, In Awe of Montreal

Despite his busy playoff schedule, Konyushkov managed to keep an eye on the Canadiens and his friend Ivan Demidov’s NHL debut. Both players previously played together for Russia’s national team.

“I wasn't surprised that Ivan went over in the spring,” said Konyushkov. “We discussed this possibility when we played together for the national team, so it wasn't a surprise to me. I was happy when he scored in his very first NHL game.”

But what seemingly blew Konyushkov away, more than Demidov’s highlight-reel move to notch his first NHL goal, was the elation from Canadians fans both in the Bell Centre and on social media.

“My entire feed was buzzing about him; Montreal was ecstatic and Twitter was ecstatic. I think he’ll become even more popular with the fans next season,” said Konyushkov. “He’ll spend the summer there, getting to know the city and culture. Those playoff games probably showed him just how hockey-crazy the city is.”

But it wasn’t just in Montreal that hockey fans were celebrating Ivan Demidov’s successful debut in the NHL. Demidov’s fans in Russia were just as excited about their young star to begin to make his mark in the NHL; even if it might have been a little excessive.  

“The day that he scored, right before our game against Chelmet, they showed us his goal about five times,” explained Konyushkov. “We weren't watching the goal itself, but how he moved around the ice. But I still felt happy for him—even after watching it five times!”

Fresh Start Next Season in The KHL

Despite the Petrov Cup victory, Konyushkov isn’t entirely satisfied with his season. His statistics in the KHL were lower compared to the previous year, with only 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists) in 67 regular-season games. He attributes this dip to Torpedo’s inconsistent performance. Torpedo exited the KHL playoffs in the first round, swept by eventual champions Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Following the defeat, head coach Igor Larionov—a three-time Stanley Cup winner and Detroit Red Wings legend who had coached since 2022—was let go.

Alexey Isakov, the head coach that guided Torpedo’s championship-winning farm club to victory, has since been promoted to head coach for Torpedo for the 2025-2026 season. Larionov was appointed head coach of SKA on Monday, replacing Roman Rotenberg in this position.