Igor Larionov claims that the Canadiens have found their new Mikhail Sergachev
Photo credit: Tamba Bay Times
We hear a lot about the Montreal Canadiens' defensive prospects, such as Logan Mailloux, Lane Hutson, and David Reinbacher.
However, another young player is often overlooked by fans, and that is Bogdan Konyushkov.
The young Russian defenseman recently received praise from his head coach with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, Igor Larionov.
In an interview with Daria Tuboltseva from the media outlet Responsible Gambling, the three-time Stanley Cup champion did not hesitate to talk about the 110th overall pick of the 2023 draft.
See his exact statement.
«Bogdan, in my opinion, is becoming a solid and reliable player. I don't want to get ahead of myself by praising him too much. We often expect young players to progress, but sometimes life pushes them back. Bogdan is a serious young man, and I believe in his potential to reach the level of players like Mikhail Sergachev, Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov, Alex Ovechkin, or Evgeni Malkin, as he dreams. I know he has the skills and intelligence to be a valuable player for the Montreal team in the future.»
- Igor Larionov
- Igor Larionov
Wow, that's quite something. Being compared to these NHL superstars is no small feat!
Bogdan Konyushkov is a solid acquisition by Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens, according to Igor Larionov
It's the comparison with Mikhail Sergachev that I find most interesting. We all know what we lost by trading him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Jonathan Drouin. Having a player of this type in the Canadiens' ranks, and keeping him, would be a colossal advantage. Konyushkov even describes his own playing style as similar to Sergachev's.
«I'm not just an offensive defenseman. I know how to defend, but I'm still learning. I'm versatile. My role is to initiate attacks and stop those of opponents.»
- Bogdan Konyushkov
- Bogdan Konyushkov
The Canadiens' prospect will try to bounce back next season, as he had a rather challenging 2023-2024 season. A shoulder injury that required surgery somewhat slowed down his development. Nonetheless, Larionov has confidence in him and even gave him, at just 21 years old, the title of captain.
The Canadiens' management seems to have great confidence in Larionov when it comes to the development of their protégé. That's why there isn't constant communication between the two sides, as the coach of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod knows how to guide the young man.
If all goes well next year, Konyushkov would like to attend the Canadiens' next development camp. We may then see him take his first strides in North America next July.
Last season with his KHL club, the defenseman tallied six goals and 22 assists for a total of 28 points in 65 games. It will be interesting to see his progress in 2024-2025.
Source: HABSolumentFan
Igor Larionov y va d'une comparaison flatteuse pour Bogdan Konyushkov
Igor Larionov y va d'une comparaison flatteuse pour Bogdan Konyushkov
| POLL | ||
19 AOUT | 814 ANSWERS Igor Larionov claims that the Canadiens have found their new Mikhail Sergachev Which one would you be more likely to trade if you had to? | ||
| Logan Mailloux | 437 | 53.7 % |
| Lane Hutson | 85 | 10.4 % |
| David Reinbacher | 206 | 25.3 % |
| Kaiden Guhle | 86 | 10.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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