Ivan Demidov attends the 2024 NHL Awards at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on June 27, 2024 (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Ever since the Montreal Canadiens selected Ivan Demidov at 5th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, there’s been a little tension regarding how he’d be used in the KHL this season.
Generally, young players receive very little ice-time in the KHL, a competitive league that isn’t known for its strong developmental track record. It’s one of the main reasons why more and more Russian youngsters are headed to the CHL and the NCAA to give themselves the best chances at good ice time and developmental opportunities.
That being said, the top Russian players are generally signed to long-term deals as teenagers and kept in the KHL. This is the case of Demidov, who still has one more year left on his contract with SKA.
Seen as one of the next Russian superstars, Demidov was relegated to the MHL, the Russian junior league, for the entire last season. This year, he started the season strong on the third line with veteran Evgeny Kuznetsov, putting up eight points in his first 10 games.
However, since then, ice time has been harder to come by. Kuznetsov went down with an injury, and SKA began to suffer loss after loss, which saw Demidov’s ice time drop from an average of 13 minutes per game to just under four minutes.
To understand SKA’s developmental process with the young Montreal Canadiens prospect, RG was able to chat with SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg to get his take on how things are going.
Bringing Demidov Along Slowly
Since the season's beginning, Rotenberg has communicated with the Montreal Canadiens to ensure Demidov’s development went according to plan. According to the KHL bench boss, they want to do their best to help the youngster progress, but stressed that the team’s success comes first.
“We’re considering the opinions of our colleagues [in Montreal], but we are focused on our own needs, our tactics, and how our players are feeling,” Rotenberg said in English. “There are a lot of factors. We are no less interested than Montreal in making sure that Ivan – just like our other young players – develops well. Players like Demidov are the future of Russian hockey.”
The unfortunate reality for young KHLers is that they are often victims of circumstance.
The top teams in the league are loaded with veterans in their prime. Given the financial implications of winning and reaching championship glory, it can sometimes be difficult for a youngster to grab a roster spot over a safer, stronger veteran.
Growth Through Adversity
Rotenberg points out that Demidov does have all-world skill, but he states that so much more goes into the decision to distribute ice time. Even though Demidov was one of the club’s leading scorers prior to his demotion to 13th forward, he felt that the internal competition would only make him better.
“There is huge competition for a spot in our line-up. The world’s best players in their respective positions are playing for SKA. The fact that Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tony DeAngelo play for us speaks volumes. To beat out these veterans for ice time, you have to push hard during practice. You can’t just rely on your talent to be successful. Instead, you have to display full commitment and maximum concentration. I don’t think that a player can solely rely on his talent to be included in the line-up of an NHL team; you need to be stronger than other players at that particular moment in time.”
Despite the fluctuating ice time, Rotenberg remains committed to developing Ivan Demidov in the KHL and continuing to give him an opportunity to prove himself. There aren’t any plans to send Ivan to play with his brother in the VHL, the KHL’s version of the AHL, or the MHL.
“Any option is possible, but right now, Ivan is playing on our main team. He’s working with a roster that contains players of the highest level, guys from whom he can learn a lot. The competition will only make him better.”
Demidov’s Growth And Future
In his mind, the plan for Demidov has been set since last spring, when the two were able to sit down and speak of what this current season would look like. Rotenberg admits there may be speed bumps in the short term for Demidov as his ice time will be linked to the performances of the club and situational factors.
In fact, Rotenberg praised Demidov for his growing maturity and commitment to improvement. He remains confident that if the 18-year-old continues to grow, ice time concerns will be a thing of the past.
“Ivan is working hard with responsibility. Last spring, when he was injured in the final games of the Kharlamov Cup final, we managed to have some very good chats. He trained extremely well during the summer, and we saw the results of his efforts at the start of the campaign. Our work with Ivan is going to start paying off.”
It may not be the answer that Montreal Canadiens fans necessarily want to hear. But, given that Demidov’s ice time has risen again with the return of Kuznetsov from injury, the chances of seeing the young forward relegated to 13th forward are pretty low.
Demidov remains committed to finishing out his KHL deal, which expires on May 31, 2025. Despite some of the concerns from the fan base, Rotenberg seems committed to use this remaining time to prepare Demidov for a long NHL career.
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Marco D'Amico
