Canadiens prospect shows maturity with post-practice comments

In training camp, a 19-year-old Montreal Canadiens prospect pointed out his dissatisfaction with an area of opportunity for the team.

Forward Ivan Demidov recently complained about the team's performance in power-play drills, highlighting his veteran mentality despite being a rookie.

"I think we have something that we can improve," Demidov said, via The Athletic's Arpon Basu. "We’ve got to be better next time. I know, it's training camp, but still, we’ve got something we need to work on. So we’ll see."

The outlet also quoted assistant coach Alexandre Carrier, who praised the young Russian winger's perfectionist mentality. 

"Having been around him all summer, he’s a perfectionist. He’s an unparalleled worker. He just had one practice; obviously, it won’t be perfect. But it shows how much he wants to always improve," Carrier said.

Montreal Canadiens must listen to Ivan Demidov if they don't want to fall short next season

The maturity of such a young player should positively influence the Montreal locker room. The Canadiens are a team that always aspires to the playoffs and cannot afford to be complacent with the man advantage.

Demidov's words also show his collective spirit, as he avoided individual topics like statistics and focused on team improvement. This maturity is uncommon in rookies but should be the standard.

The 19-year-old Russian will likely have a top-six role and contribute on the power play. Last season, the Canadiens ranked 21st in the NHL in this area, with only 20.1% effectiveness.

For a team of Montreal's level, it is unthinkable not to be competitive in one of the game's most important weapons. Power-play efficiency will decide close games, especially in the playoffs. Last season made it evident this is a weakness, and now, a rookie is the one pointing it out.