You knew it, I knew it, everyone knew it: Ivan Demidov just needed a real chance.
And yet, Roman Rotenberg dragged his feet like a teenager who refuses to take out the trash.
The script had been written for weeks, but Demidov had to force the door open, tearing it out with masterful performances to finally get what he deserves: a place on the first line.
Not on the fourth, not in the stands, not as a stopgap on the power play.
No, where it belongs. And now here he is, doing exactly what everyone knew he would do: dominate.
Four games in a row with a goal.
Against Sochi, he took matters into his own hands again: three points, a goal, two assists.
A direct impact, without frills. And meanwhile, Rotenberg, behind the bench, pretends that everything was planned.
Oh yes, of course, he believed in Demidov from the start, didn’t he?
No, Roman. Everyone sees through your game. The Kid is just too strong for the league.
But it’s not just Demidov’s performance that impresses. That’s the way. The calm, the confidence, the almost insolent ease with which he imposes himself.
On the front line, he not only showed that he could keep pace. He dictated the play, distributed pucks like a veteran, found the back of the net at the crucial moment, and gave this SKA team, which was navigating in the gray, a real glimmer of hope.
And let’s be honest: This is a team that desperately needed it.
What’s even more interesting is that all this aligns with the famous visit of Ken Hughes, Vincent Lecavalier and Nick Bobrov to Russia.
Do you remember their little trip to St. Petersburg a few weeks ago just before the holidays? The timing was far too good to be a coincidence.
They arrive, and since then, look at Demidov, he goes from the fourth row to the spotlight of the first.
If Rotenberg wanted to send a clear message that the SKA still controls the narrative, he completely missed it.
All this situation screams is that the Canadian is looking at this diamond in the rough with growing interest, and that Rotenberg no longer has any room to screw up.
You know what must be particularly weird for Roman Rotenberg?
It’s not fair to see Ivan Demidov beating him up game after game with performances that exude raw talent.
It’s not even having to explain to his superiors why this kid was stuck on the fourth line just a month ago.
No, the strangest thing is probably managing a prodigy knowing that whatever happens, it’s going to slip through his fingers.
Because Rotenberg can play well with lineups, responsibilities and opportunities, but he knows one thing: Demidov is destined for the best league in the world. Not in the KHL, but in the NHL.
This is the irony of the situation. The KHL is not a development league. This isn’t the American League, where the main goal is to prepare players for the next level.
Coaches here play to win, period. But when you have a talent like Demidov on your team, you don’t really have a choice.
Because its development cannot wait. This guy needed to get ice time, and not just any ice time.
He needed meaningful minutes, power play time, opportunities to refine his game and become the player he needs to be in his future NHL role.
And this is where everything gets complicated for Rotenberg. He’s not just managing a player for the sake of his current team.
He is, despite himself, preparing Demidov for a career that will take place elsewhere, thousands of kilometers away, in another league.
Everything he does now, every chance he gives Demidov, every extra minute on the ice, is actually a direct gift to the Montreal Canadiens. That’s life, as they say. But it must be a little hard to swallow when you lead a club in the KHL.
And what makes the situation even more fascinating is this famous visit by the CH delegation to Russia.
We don’t know exactly what was said, but since that visit, everything has changed. It’s almost comical, in fact.
Before their arrival, Demidov was used minimally, as just another player. After ? He is on the first line, he plays on the numerical advantage, he accumulates points.
The results speak for themselves. And even though no one wants to say it out loud, it’s hard not to wonder if this sudden transformation is pure coincidence.
Roman Rotenberg can try to protect the KHL, to protect his club, but at this point it’s too late. Ivan Demidov is already on his way to the NHL, and everyone knows it.
All that was needed was to give him the tools to continue to progress. Now that he has them, he is shining, and it is obvious that his future is no longer in this league.
But for now, he’s doing exactly what he needs to do: developing, training to become a top player, and showing everyone he’s ready for hockey’s brightest spotlight.
Rotenberg no longer really has control. It’s only a matter of time before Demidov is gone for good.
And frankly, it must be a little frustrating. But it’s reality, and he’s going to have to get used to it.
Amen
