Bob Hartley surprised everyone last summer when he announced he was coming out of retirement to coach… the defending Gagarin Cup champions, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in the KHL. At 65, Hartley had closed the door on any return to the bench of a professional hockey team.
But then, the passion (and the paycheck) must have been strong to turn down such an offer in Russia! And life as a new retiree, not much fun…
How has Bob’s team been doing so far this season? Very well, with a record of 20-10-3, putting them in third place in the Western Conference.
We miss Bob Hartley on the radio
We’ve heard less of Bob Hartley on our FM airwaves since his departure from BPM Sports, and we rarely hear him on Martin Lemay’s daily podcast (on YouTube). It’s a pity, because Hartley is interesting every time he agrees to take the microphone and talk to us about hockey.
Except that Bob Hartley fans are in for a treat today, as Hartley gave an interview to Saguenay-based radio/podcast host Mark Dickey.
What did Bob have to say in this episode of Dickey and the zebra? Mostly, he said he’s sure Alexander Zharovsky will play in the National League.
Need I remind you that 1. Hartley coaches against Zharovsky and 2. Hartley knows his hockey in ta*?
“We’ve played him twice, one of them really recently, and then unlike Demidov, Zharovsky is on a team where the budget (which comes from the government) has been cut […] the Salavat team still let some very good veterans go. Zharovsky is a bit of a team leader despite his young age.” – Bob Hartley
Hartley admitted that Zharovsky was a replica (perhaps only slightly less good at the same age, in his opinion) of Demidov, but that with the puck, especially on the powerplay, his vision of the game and the way he moved his feet, it was really comparable to the newly-minted Russian winger. Perhaps it’s only Zharovsky’s shot that isn’t up to Demidov’s level, even though he has a very good one.
Let’s not forget that Zharovsky is only 18… and already has 20 points in 23 games in a Russian men’s league. He was selected in the second round by the Habs last summer, but has clearly been playing like a first-round pick since the start of the season. In fact, several NHL teams had Zharovsky on their radar and are already regretting having turned their noses up at him..
We also learned a few minutes ago that Zharovsky had been named KHL Rookie of the Month for a second consecutive month.
Officially, Zharovsky is under contract until May 31, 2027, and the Canadiens can’t pay to break that contract. Since Zharovsky’s team has less budget than before, it will clearly be reluctant to let a young, inexpensive, productive player go before the end of his contract.
Canadiens fans will have to wait another year and a half before seeing Zharovsky in North America (alongside Ivan Demidov).
Unless..
overtime
– Answers in a few days.
Hockey Canada will announce its roster for the World Juniors on December 8th.
I’m told they’ve already reached out to some players to let them know they’re on a “short list”.
The waiting game on the NHLers will be a huge determining factor.
– Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) December 2, 2025
– Good question.
Twenty-five years and counting: When will a defenseman win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player? And why hasn’t one even been a finalist?https://t.co/4o3EeLu6m8
– Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) December 2, 2025
– What do you think?
Smart move. https://t.co/zeEBExVS3v
– Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) December 2, 2025
– He’s got a whole season.
Don’t let the Kid get hot pic.twitter.com/jNEXjokklw
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 2, 2025
– Attention all interested parties.
It’s Lane Hutson’s Bobblehead Party!
Read ↓ #GoHabsGo | @kfc_canada https://t.co/w2XuUnC42x
– Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 2, 2025
