Alexei Kovalev (Doug Pensinger/Allsport)
Alexei Kovalev watches his former club, the Montreal Canadiens, with a mix of distance and familiarity. He knows the rhythms of the city, the pressure on young stars, and the expectations that come with playing in Montreal. When he looks at this year’s team, he sees progress that is no longer theoretical.
“It’s a young team that keeps trusting the same core players,” he told RG last week. “They also have some experienced guys. The organization showed patience, and it’s finally paying off. I think the rebuild is close to being over – their time has come.”
Kovalev has been vocal in the past regarding the Canadiens’ lack of top-end talent, but he finally feels like the organization has turned it around for the long-haul.
Demidov’s Promise and Kovalev’s Caution
Some fans and commentators – including Sick Media’s Tony Marinaro – have floated a bold idea: that Ivan Demidov might be a more complete version of Kovalev himself.
“We wanted a younger version of Kovalev in his Canadiens years,” Marinaro said. “He’s going to be better than Kovalev.”
He even placed Demidov on the path of someone like Nikita Kucherov, pointing to his early production – 14 points in 19 games – and his creativity with the puck.
When asked to comment on the comparisons and obvious similarities between his and Ivan Demidov’s style of play, Kovalev chose not to engage.
“That’s not for me to decide,” he said. “A talented player will always find a way to score goals and put up points. He plays an exciting style, and Montreal loves that, but he also needs to produce – score more goals, get points.”
And this isn’t Kovalev looking to knock the Canadiens’ rookie by any means; he brings this advice from his own experience as a young, skilled player in the NHL. Call it a shared experience, if you will.
“Coaches also had to push me to shoot more. I had this problem too,” he said. “He’s still young, with a real chance to grow into a leader, but it will take some time. This is only his first full season. Maybe next year, he’ll take on a true leadership role, but, for now, playing he has more to grow in Montreal.”
Kovalev pointed to Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer as an example of a young player who already understands how to make simple plays count. Schaefer is also his current pick for the Calder Trophy.
“At this moment, I’d choose efficiency. Between Demidov and Schaefer, I would pick the Islanders defenseman. He’s taking on leadership responsibilities and huge minutes, which is very important. He has that young confidence that says: ‘This is my spot, and I’m not giving it up.’”
Measured Expectations for Montreal
Montreal’s rise raises questions about how far they can go. Earlier this year, Pavel Datsyuk told RG that Detroit could return to relevance, and it was met with skepticism. Yet now the Red Wings sit near the top of the Atlantic Division.
Kovalev, who has been cautious in the past to talk about his former club’s trajectory, sees real progress there too.
“After their drop-off, they’ve found stability. I believe they can get back to their old level.” “If they make the playoffs, I think they could reach the second round, but in my view, that’s their ceiling right now.”
The Canadiens will soon honor one of their most respected players, Andrei Markov, with a homecoming night at Bell Centre on December 3. Markov spent 16 seasons in Montreal and remained closely connected to the city even after his departure in 2017. Kovalev – who was fired as HC Spartak’s coach on Nov. 24 – has also been proposed as a candidate for a similar tribute night of his own in the future.
He appreciated the thought but ultimately declined due to his commitments in the KHL.
“I have a job to do here, and it’s very important to me. I can’t leave in the middle of the season,” he said last week, before the news about his departure from Spartak became public. “Geoff Molson told me, ‘It would be great if you came’ It’s very nice, but now is not the time.”
It’s possible that Kovalev will now have some free time to visit Montreal. If not this season, then in the near future.
