Overseas Team Reportedly Seeking Bribe From the Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov's Future in Jeopardy
Photo credit: Amy Irvin / Hockey Writers
Ivan Demidov's future with the Montreal Canadiens could be in jeopardy after his KHL team reportedly refuses to let him leave for North America with nothing in return.
Ivan Demidov broke the record for most points scored in a season by a player aged 20 or younger, proving that he has an elite skill level, like Matvei Michkov and Kirill Kaprizov.
When he comes to North America, he'll be a game-changer for the Montreal Canadiens, who drafted him 5th overall in the last NHL draft.
Unfortunately for Habs fans, the road to get there won't be an easy one.
While his KHL contract ends at the end of the current season, a report from former NHLer Georges Laraque revealed that St. Petersburg SKA won't let him leave the organization with nothing in return, like what happened with Michkov and the Flyers last season.
Here's what he said in a recent radio interview:
"They couldn't care less about the young man. What the team wants is to force him to sign a contract so that the Canadiens can do the same as the Flyers-like Michkov's contract-so he can play in the NHL this year.
I'm told there's no way the team will let him go for free. They'll do everything to make him sign a contract so that later, the Canadiens will have to pay millions to buy it out.
That's why they're messing with him right now. If he keeps not playing like this, in terms of his development and expectations for next year, they'll have to be lowered.
There is one positive point: at least we're still far from the worst-case scenario. They didn't start doing this back in November. There was a stretch where things were going well, and the Canadiens even went to visit them.
Adults doing this to such a talented young man, putting this kind of pressure on him just for money-they are despicable."
I'm told there's no way the team will let him go for free. They'll do everything to make him sign a contract so that later, the Canadiens will have to pay millions to buy it out.
That's why they're messing with him right now. If he keeps not playing like this, in terms of his development and expectations for next year, they'll have to be lowered.
There is one positive point: at least we're still far from the worst-case scenario. They didn't start doing this back in November. There was a stretch where things were going well, and the Canadiens even went to visit them.
Adults doing this to such a talented young man, putting this kind of pressure on him just for money-they are despicable."
In his last game, Demidov was benched by his coach, showing that the team doesn't care about him or his development because he plans on going overseas to pursue his hockey career.
Habs fans hope that he'll follow the plan and come to Montreal for next season.
| POLL | ||
MARS 2 | 337 ANSWERS Overseas Team Reportedly Seeking Bribe From the Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov's Future in Jeopardy Do you think Ivan Demidov will play in the NHL next season? | ||
| Yes | 216 | 64.1 % |
| No | 121 | 35.9 % |
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