Hughes: “It’s what makes Montreal the best hockey city in the world”

MONTREAL – With the Canadiens preparing for the final two games of the season, general manager Kent Hughes addressed the media following the team’s morning skate on Monday. The focus of his media availability was, of course, the arrival of forward Ivan Demidov in Montreal, but Hughes also addressed the Habs’ playoff push and David Reinbacher’s upcoming return to play.

Please note questions and answers have been modified for clarity and conciseness.

Hughes on the factors that led to Demidov coming over to Montreal when he did:

There were probably two things: that [SKA St. Petersburg] got eliminated earlier than predicted, and we’ve found ourselves with a chance to play in the playoffs.

Hughes on what’s impressed him about Demidov this year:

It’s still the same as when we met him in Vegas: he’s a young man who’s humble, but confident at the same time. So, he doesn't need to tell anyone how good he is, he can sense that he’s good. But, when you see someone who has that balance, you know his confidence comes from within, so that always impressed me. And, he’s very comfortable being around people.

Hughes on why he feels confident to put Demidov in a high-pressure situation right now:

Well, I think our fan base is as passionate as they come – certainly in the hockey world. So, they want him playing all the time and in all situations. But, credit to [SKA St. Petersburg head coach] Roman [Rotenberg]; he had a vision. We went over and discussed it with him. And then throughout the year, he had a vision for what he wanted him to be able to do as a hockey player, and that was beyond just producing offensively. It was evolving his game in terms of how he managed pucks, how committed he was to playing defense, winning puck battles, and things that he knew – and we agreed – you needed to have to be successful over here. So, our hope is that all that work makes his transition a little bit smoother to the National Hockey League.

Hughes on the status of the rebuild and where the Canadiens are at in their season:

We're thrilled to have [Demidov] here, but obviously, at the moment the focus is on trying to finish off, with two games left in an 82-game season. Credit to the coaches and the players for getting themselves into this position. We'd be thrilled [to make the playoffs]. It's just that much more experience for our group as we continue to grow.

Hughes on what about Demidov’s skill level excites him the most:

When we selected him, it was mostly on video. Going over and having the opportunity to see him live is certainly different. He has a unique blend of skill, hockey sense, deception; his ability to move laterally is really unique to me. I always thought that there are certain players that have that ability; some do it at such high speeds. I think [with] his lateral movement, he covers more territory, let's say east-to-west, in control of the puck. So, let's see how it is. He's going to adjust to a different game of hockey here.

Hughes on how he feels Demidov will handle adjusting to a new country, language, hockey system, and more:

I think he’ll have a lot of things to adjust to. He’s a 19-year-old who moves here and left his family behind, so I imagine there a lot of things for him to adjust to. I still think he’s a young man who’s quite mature for his age, but it remains to be seen how we’re able to manage it all.

Hughes on how much interest there has been in Demidov’s arrival:

It’s another part of what makes Montreal the best hockey city in the world. We see it often with soccer around the world. When there’s a passion, there are other aspects that come with it. But, I think I have the impression that Ivan has felt the welcome to Montreal.

Hughes on Reinbacher’s upcoming return to play for the Rocket:

I believe he's scheduled to play on Wednesday, so we’re just trying to be very careful with his knee and how it reacts. We're being extremely cautious with David, given his age and we don't want any setbacks or anything of that nature. But as far as I know, there are no structural issues or anything of that nature.