Ivan Demidov is 20 years old, and this summer, the Montreal Canadiens winger is reportedly the one running the show on the ice.
That's the word coming out of Montreal this Monday, and if it's true, it says a lot about where this kid stands in the room already.
Quebec insider Patrick Guillet posted that Demidov himself is organizing the team's summer training sessions this year. Not a coach. Not a trainer. Demidov.
"From what I've heard, Ivan Demidov himself is organizing the team's summer training sessions this year."
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For a 20 year old to take that on, in his second full go-around with the organization, is not something you see often.
Demidov just finished a season worth building around. He put up 62 points in 82 games, with 19 goals and 43 assists.
He chipped in seven power play goals and 13 power play assists, and his four game-winning goals showed up when Montreal needed them most.
The Canadiens finished 48-24-10 for 106 points, good for sixth overall and third in their division, with a plus-27 goal differential.
A cap hit that looks like a bargain right now
Demidov is still on his entry-level deal, carrying a cap hit of 940,833 dollars. For a point-per-game caliber winger, that's a number Kent Hughes has to love.
Is it strange that a player still on his rookie contract is the one setting the tone for summer workouts? Maybe. Or maybe it's exactly what a franchise wants to see.
Young stars who take ownership of the room early tend to stick around and keep pushing everyone else. Think of it like a rookie firefighter organizing the drills instead of waiting to be told.
Head coach Martin St-Louis has built a culture in Montreal that rewards exactly this kind of initiative, and Demidov clearly picked up on it fast.
The video making the rounds shows a lone skater working the ice, stick in hand, going through reps with nobody standing over his shoulder barking instructions.
This is still an unconfirmed report from a single insider account, and the Canadiens haven't put out anything official on who's running these sessions.
But if Demidov really is the one drawing up the drills this summer, it changes how you look at his role heading into next season. A 20 year old doesn't usually get handed the whistle. He takes it.
Should a 20 year old like Ivan Demidov be trusted to run the Canadiens' summer training sessions?
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