Jon Cooper praises Ivan Demidov, saying comparisons to Nikita Kucherov are justified
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The head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper, clearly had several comments to share following the matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.
He visibly had a lot on his mind after the hard-fought game against the Canadiens.
While he made headlines for his sharp remarks toward the referees, he also drew attention by making extremely flattering comments about a young Canadiens star.
Putting the sarcasm aside for a moment, the veteran coach was very generous in his comments when asked about rookie Ivan Demidov.
Jon Cooper sees shades of Nikita Kucherov in Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov
Known for having coached some of the best offensive players on the planet over the past decade (and at the Olympic Games), Cooper knows how to recognize raw talent when he sees it on the ice, and Demidov clearly caught his eye.
“From what I’ve seen, his future, he looks like he’s gonna be fantastic.
He is now.
It’s just about learning the game more: age, experience, all those things that come with learning the game” Cooper first analyzed very accurately.
But it’s the conclusion of his statement that is particularly interesting.
Since being drafted, many observers have compared Demidov’s playing style and vision to Lightning star Nikita Kucherov.
Well, his coach completely agrees.
“If people are comparing him to Nikita Kucherov, it’s probably justified.” Cooper admitted candidly.
Coming from the man who works alongside Kucherov’s brilliance day after day, it’s possibly the highest praise Ivan Demidov could receive.
The Canadiens definitely have a special player on their hands!
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Jon Cooper praises Ivan Demidov, saying comparisons to Nikita Kucherov are justified
Are you excited to see a coach of Jon Cooper’s caliber compare Ivan Demidov to Nikita Kucherov?