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Gleb Pugachyov 'uninterested and out of shape': recurring concerns
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gleb Pugachyov 'uninterested and out of shape': recurring concerns

Originally posted on Dose.ca  |  Last updated Sep 8, 2026 1:38 PM ET
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Gleb Pugachyov isn’t exactly inspiring confidence right now.

The Canadiens' first-round pick in the 2026 draft, who has failed to break into his KHL team's lineup, is currently playing in the junior leagues.

This is unlike Ivan Demidov and Alexander Zharovsky during their 18-year-old seasons, both of whom played in Russia's top league after being drafted by the Canadiens.

Concerns about Pugachyov had begun to surface recently. People were wondering, in veiled terms, what was behind this demotion of the 2026 first-round pick.

But now one theory is looking increasingly plausible.

Martin Thérriault, in his daily segment on BPM Sports, spoke of a lack of engagement in the prospect's play and the fact that Pugachyov was clearly not in good enough shape. His physical conditioning is being called into question.

And I don't know about you, but this worries me on two levels.

The first is pretty obvious. If a player isn't in good enough shape and doesn't seem to want to be there, let's just say it doesn't bode well for the future.

That shouldn't be the case.

But the second level is that these are the same words Grant McCagg used in the last few hours regarding the Flanelle's prospect.

We discussed this this morning in an article about Pugachyov.

Thérriault noted that Pugachyov seemed to lack intensity after just 40 or 45 seconds on the ice yesterday. His defensive backchecking was sluggish.

Even when he was in the offensive zone, he seemed to run out of steam quickly. For such an energetic player, his lack of stamina is cause for concern.

Not seeing him play on the first power play (in junior hockey…) and seeing him benched at one point in the second period after a mistake (again, in junior hockey!) doesn't inspire confidence.

The sooner he gets the message, the better off he'll be. And that's undoubtedly what the Canadiens want.


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This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.

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