A young Canadiens prospect gets destroyed by his GM and it's over for him

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Elias Adaime
July 13, 2024 (1:22 PM)

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A young prospect from the Montreal Canadiens has just been slammed by his boss, and it's over for him.

During the 2021 draft, the Bergevin team selected young Russian defenseman Dmitri Kostenko with the 87th overall pick. Nearly three years later, his boss in the VHL with Khanty-Mansiysk's Yugra, Sergei Gusev, has nothing positive to say about the Canadiens' prospect.

Gusev, who is the GM of the team, was even very eager to get rid of him because he couldn't stand him. The young man doesn't seem to want to take the advice given to him and is in no way a team player. Gusev's verdict is radical: for him, Kostenko will never play in the NHL.

«He will never make it [to the NHL]» - Sergei Gusev

Yet, at first glance, the defenseman seems to have everything to please an NHL team. He is very offensive and can easily accumulate points. However, his attitude leaves much to be desired; he plays individually, despises physical play, and refuses to apply the advice given to him.

«He doesn't want to learn; he just wants to do his own thing,» lamented Gusev. «You tell him not to make the cross-ice pass, and he still gives the puck to the opponent.»

«I've talked to him several times. I told him, 'Listen, if you want to play in the NHL, you need to do this and that...' He gives the impression of listening, you know, he says he understands and will do his best. But when the game comes, he does the same crap.

«Moreover, if you don't put him on the power play, he pouts. He doesn't say anything, but you can see it in his body language. He drives me crazy, seriously.» - Sergei Gusev

This attitude will certainly not please the new management of the club, which seems in no way to want such players in its ranks. Therefore, it would be surprising if the Gorton-Hughes duo deigns to offer him a contract, especially with the recent defensive prospects they have acquired since taking over the club.

Dmitri Kostenko, from the Montreal Canadiens, severely criticized by his general manager Sergei Gusev, and it's concerning for Kent Hughes

Gusev did not hesitate to share his thoughts on Kostenko with Nick Bobrov when the Canadiens' co-director of amateur scouting called him to discuss the young man.

«I told him the same things. Bobrov told me that he had been following this guy for two years and that nothing had changed. I wasn't surprised to hear that.» - Sergei Gusev

This goes to show that statistics don't tell the whole story about a player. A lot of the evaluation involves off-ice behavior and attitude!

Credit: TVA Sports
Un DG en Russie fustige un espoir des Canadiens