Ivan Demidov Refuses SKA Contract Extension, Leading to Benchings and Reduced Playing Time
Journalist Nicolas Cloutier from TVA Sports has just broken major news involving the young Montreal Canadiens forward, Ivan Demidov.
He's a name to watch, and once again, he's done a superb job uncovering a significant piece of information.
Indeed, Ivan Demidov has reportedly refused to extend his stay in the KHL beyond his current contract, which seems to explain his very disappointing ice time with SKA. They want to send him a message.
"Ivan refused all three times," our source confirmed over the phone. "He wants nothing to do with another year at SKA."
From the article by Nicolas Cloutier, via TVA Sports
We highly recommend his full report.
It seems clear that SKA Saint Petersburg's head coach is benching Ivan Demidov to send a message, even though he's already one of their best players.
Ivan Demidov punished by his team because he wants to play for the Montreal Canadiens next season and doesn't want to extend his stay in the KHL
The fact that he has racked up 9 points in 16 games, including 5 goals, is absolutely phenomenal considering that he's spent the majority of those games playing less than 4 minutes per match.
Imagine if he were consistently playing 15-16-17 minutes per game. He would likely have historic stats for a young player in the KHL.
As Marc-Olivier Beaudoin mentions, Demidov isn't the first player from his country to endure such treatment simply because he refuses to extend his contract in the KHL.
Russian players who refuse to extend their contracts in Russia often face the same treatment as Demidov.
The good news: Demidov genuinely wants to come to North America at the end of the current season!
-MOB
In short, he's being punished because he wants to play for the Montreal Canadiens next season. That's exactly what's happening right now, and it's good news to hear that Demidov truly wants to play here next year.
This is a story we are continuing to follow.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 17 | 967 ANSWERS Ivan Demidov Refuses SKA Contract Extension, Leading to Benchings and Reduced Playing Time Do you believe the Montreal Canadiens should try to bring Ivan Demidov to the NHL as early as this season? | ||
| Yes | 821 | 84.9 % |
| No | 146 | 15.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
