Jake Evans #71 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates his goal with teammate Michael Pezzetta #55 and Lane Hutson #48 (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
It’s been a roller-coaster season for Ivan Demidov and SKA so far in the KHL. Despite some roster fluctuations, SKA has been able to stay in the leader group of the Western Conference, while Demidov has been one of the most productive players in the league.
After having been selected 5th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, Demidov has been focused on making his rookie season in the KHL one to remember.
Transitioning to the KHL and Playing with Kuznetsov
Demidov has had a very impressive start to his KHL career, putting up six goals and 19 points in just 25 games with SKA St Petersburg this season.
But, in an exclusive interview with RG, Demidov broke down that his early success is no fluke; he’s been actively preparing for this opportunity for over a year now.
“Nothing has changed much. I was already preparing for this last year in the MHL to get my game to the level I would need to play in the KHL,” said Demidov. “I wouldn't say that the transition was very difficult for me.”
There have been moments when Demidov has shown his inexperience on the ice, but his transition to pro hockey has been made a little easier thanks to his playing time with NHL vet Evgeny Kuznetsov.
“He is very experienced. After each game, he says ‘you must immediately forget about it and turn the page. Good or bad game, it doesn't matter. You must live in the present and prepare for the next game’.”
Kuznetsov’s Ted Lasso-like mantra has helped Demidov play through some of the more frustrating moments of his rookie season.
But his play on the ice has also made the transition to the KHL a much easier process for the youngster.
“Kuznetsov has a very good hockey sense, always knowing where and when to be on the ice. I won't say that he surprises me with his passes, but I always try to be where he can get me the puck.”
Rookie Of the Year?
Demidov has been a regular winner of the KHL’s Rookie of the Week award, thanks to some recent electric performances for SKA.
Although it’s an individual award given out to the best youngsters in the league, Demidov made the honor a team accomplishment, crediting his teammates and coaching staff for his continued success.
“This is a great honor from the league, but several factors contributed to it. The coaching staff has begun to trust me more, and our line also developed better chemistry, leading to more goals. I feel very confident now.”
Demidov’s play so far this season has him trending as the front-runner for the KHL’s Rookie of the Year award. But, if you ask the 18-year-old, his own personal accomplishments aren’t the priority at the moment.
Keeping An Eye On The Montreal Canadiens
On his down time, Demidov has also been keeping an eye on the Montreal Canadiens this season.
Demidov was quick to point out the stellar play of Lane Hutson; one of the top contenders for the Calder Trophy this season, as one of the most exciting things he’s seen out of Montreal.
“I really like Lane Hutson,” said Demidov. “He is playing brilliantly.”
But it’s not all flowers and rainbows in Montreal right now, as they have had a very bumpy start to the year. Demidov, who has gone through his own adversity, related to the young Canadiens roster and remained confident that the team would find a way out of their current funk.
“The Canadiens are in a small hole right now, but this is understandable - they have one of the youngest teams in the league. I think they will fix everything. They will be fine.”
Roman Rotenberg Compares Canadiens and SKA Players
At the same time, SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg believes that Demidov currently would have partners of a different level in the Canadiens than he does in SKA.
"If we compare Demidov last season, when he was with us at the beginning of the season at training camp, and now, they are two completely different hockey players," Rotenberg told RG exclusively on Saturday. "Now he is a player ready to win battles and fight men equally. He is ready to win battles against any player in the KHL. That is, he has improved in absolutely all aspects of the game. And I can honestly tell you that not only his hard work and our good work with him in the summer helped him develop, but also his partners. I will honestly tell you that there are no partners today in Montreal as Ivan has in SKA. And this allows him to develop as a player and as a person. There are no such centers in Montreal, no such wingers now. Of course, opinions on this matter may differ. But this is my opinion."
On Thursday’s game against HC Sochi, Demidov played in the line with Sergei Plotnikov and Mikhail Vorobyev. Plotnikov played 45 games in the NHL in the 2015-16 season for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes, scoring 3 points (three assists). Vorobyev played 35 games for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018-19 and 2019-20, scoring 5 points (two goals, three assists).
Sergey has been in sports journalism since 2007 as a reporter, editor, and manager. He has covered the Olympic Games, soccer World Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the European championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, IOC events, and many others. Sergey interviewed the sport's greatest athletes, coaches, and executives. Since 2016, he has been an Independent Senior Editor of NHL.com/ru.
