2023-09-28 03:53:09
When Professor Igor Larionov speaks, we listen. And the legendary coach has spoken: if young Russian defenseman Bodgan Konyushkov arrived in Montreal tomorrow morning, he would already be one of the Canadiens’ key players.
It is early to say, but it is reasonable to wonder if the Habs recruiters made a find that we will hear about for a long time in the fourth round of the last draft, with the 110th choice overall.
It has not been easy to reach Larionov in recent weeks. In Russia, there are 11 time zones. Tuesday, September 26, the clock shows 1 p.m. in Quebec and 8 p.m. in Nizhny Novgorod when the Hall of Fame member answers our call. This time, the timing is good.
Larionov is everything one could have imagined. Each of his responses is thought out and reflects his analytical mind. Larionov, one of the smartest players of his generation, likes quick-witted skaters. We quickly understand that he fell in love with Konyushkov, who became his trusted defenseman with the Torpedo in the KHL.
At 20 years old, Konyushkov is the most used defender on the continental circuit, a league renowned for giving crumbs to the most promising young players. On average, he plays 24 minutes per game, but Larionov is quick to point out that he gives him 27 to 28 minutes some nights.
“In my opinion, if I sent him to you today, he would be a key player for Montreal,” says Larionov on the phone. I know the team, I know the players. I saw a few Canadiens games last season. And I know Bogdan: his skill level, his work ethic, his thirst to be the best player.
“One thing is certain, he will become one of the best defensemen in the KHL. As for the NHL, he would be able to play there this year. He’d be pretty good.”
And Larionov is aware that Martin St-Louis is also, in his own way, a “teacher” of hockey.
“St-Louis likes intelligent players. In a young team, this would be a good casting for Bogdan.
Shortly after his selection by the Canadiens, Konyushkov signed a three-year contract extension with the Torpedo club in Russia. This means that it will not be able to arrive in North America before 2026-2027.
Such a decision cast doubt on Konyushkov’s intention to one day join the Canadians, particularly in the complicated socio-political context surrounding Russia.
According to Larionov, Konyushkov does indeed dream of the NHL, as is the case for an overwhelming majority of top Russian players, in fact.
“Any young Russian player obviously dreams of playing in the NHL,” mentions the Torpedo head coach. Particularly within a team like Montreal with a rich history and tradition. I told Bogdan it was a fantastic city to play hockey.”
Discovered unexpectedly
Konyushkov’s meteoric rise was highly unpredictable. In 2021-2022, Konyushkov played a few games in the NMHL, which happens to be… the second division of the Russian junior circuit.
“Last year, he wasn’t even at the Torpedo camp,” notes Larionov. It was during a preparatory match against our VHL school club that I discovered him. After the match I concluded that he was good enough to play with us and we went to get him. The next day he was with us.
“We then put him in an advantageous situation, with good players. We inserted him on the power play.”
An incredible story. Without Larionov, would Konyushkov have slipped through the cracks of the Russian net? How could a player who came out of nowhere convince his coach to so quickly offer him important responsibilities in one of the best leagues in the world?
“His ability to read the game,” explains Larionov. His hockey IQ is very, very high. He knows how to deal with any situation. He never panics with the puck and constantly finds the right option, the right solution, no matter the circumstances.
“Otherwise, I would say he is a truly humble young man. He’s brilliant and he’s a good person to have in a locker room.”
If Larionov was pleasantly surprised by what he saw last year, Konyushkov seems to have taken another step in his development this season. He displays more maturity and confidence than he already showed.
“He is 20 years old, but he plays like he was 30,” marvels Larionov. He is incredibly important to our team. I made him captain for one of our matches. Last night he had an “A” on his jersey.”
Habs fans… keep your eyes peeled for this Bogdan Konyushkov, cooking the KHL the last year and change (seemingly out of nowhere). Mark Streit had a nice NHL career after blooming late in Europe. 20 years later… I’d like to see it again. pic.twitter.com/jNoQKRS3cc
— Byron Bader (@ByronMBader) September 22, 2023
A different approach
As Kevin Dubé recently documented, the KHL is generally not a development league. Too often have we seen promising young players rot on the benches of the continental circuit.
This is why Larionov’s approach stands out. The professor did not hesitate to use extensively a player who was initially unknown in Konyushkov. And this season, he also gives important responsibilities to 17-year-old defenseman Anton Silayev, tipped by some as the possible first overall pick in the next NHL draft.
Rarely do you see a 17-year-old defenseman playing in the KHL, period. Silayev isn’t just playing: after 10 games, he already has six points. The production record for a 17-year-old player in the KHL is held by Vladimir Tarasenko and it is… 10 points.
“The first time I saw him was last year and he was only 16,” Larionov remembers. I invited him to one of our training sessions. I immediately said to myself: “He’s quite a player.” He reminds me of a young Borje Salming. With his heart, his skating skills and his shot, I’m trying to develop him so that he becomes this type of player.
But why is Larionov the only one – if not, one of the only ones – to want to dare when it comes to the development of young players in the KHL? We sense a certain restraint in the hockey man, who prefers to remain modest.
“I prefer not to talk about what the other teams are doing,” he replies diplomatically. When I see a young person show the desire to be better, show character and discipline and, above all, a sense of the game that allows him to see two or three moves ahead… with the right approach, you can give them confidence, and that’s when they flourish.”
The second portion of the answer is definitely the most interesting. It gets to the crux of the problem.
“Obviously, young people make mistakes, but we try to encourage them to try things. Perhaps few coaches do this because of the results it produces. We speed up the process and sometimes it can get us in trouble on the ice, but we end up being rewarded in the long term.
Would Konyushkov be one of the best defensemen in the KHL today if it weren’t for this approach? Would Silayev have seen his rating rise to such a level? It is impossible to be certain.
Nonetheless, it is refreshing to see that there are still these teachers, these Igor Larionov and Martin St-Louis, to promote a different approach to hockey.
Photo credit: AFP
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