Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Zharovsky spent an extended period of time in Canada this summer. The Russian was not exactly on vacation in North America. Instead, the highly rated forward worked hard on the ice to help fine-tune his skills.
He, like other top prospects within the organization, initially traveled to Montreal to feature in the Canadiens’ development camp. Zharovsky, however, remained in Canada for several more weeks to train alongside fellow Russian star Ivan Demidov. While the youngster has since flown back to his home country, he has opened up about his time in North America.
“There wasn’t much free time, but I still got some rest,” Zharovsky told RG’s Daria Tuboltseva. “Training in Canada is a bit different from what I’m used to. There’s more team and individual work there. I tried to work on every part of my game a little. What exactly improved this summer? Hopefully the games will show it.”
Zharovsky also discussed how Demidov, one of the top Montreal Canadiens forwards, helped him out during his stay and his initial impressions of the city. “Ivan put me up, showed me around, and fed me,” he continued. “We trained together and spent time together. [Montreal’s] a cool city. Good atmosphere, everything feels solid. Mostly we trained, and sometimes we went for walks downtown, but training took up most of the time.”
Montreal Canadiens Nearly Traded Alexander Zharovsky in March
GettyMontreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes could use Alexander Zharovsky as trade bait.
While Zharovsky appears to have enjoyed his time in Quebec, he may not get a chance to call it home in the future. The Montreal Canadiens previously attempted to trade the young forward to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal involving Matthew Knies. NHL insider David Pagnotta reported that while both sides agreed to the trade, Toronto failed to file the necessary paperwork ahead of the deadline.
The Maple Leafs are not expected to revisit the deal this summer due to a change of upper management. Nevertheless, it was recently revealed that the Canadiens remain willing to offload Zharovsky to help land a star forward. Montreal general manager Kent Hughes would likely love to part ways with the prospect if it meant acquiring Dylan Larkin from the Detroit Red Wings. Larkin, however, has control over the situation and has not included the Canadiens as a potential destination.
Although Larkin appears tough to land, Kirill Marchenko is a more likely target for the Montreal Canadiens. Hughes and Co. have been heavily linked with the fellow Russian star throughout the summer. Although a deal remains complicated, Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan believes the Columbus Blue Jackets would want a similar deal as Toronto did for Knies. If so, Zharovsky would almost certainly be involved.
Montreal Likely Only Trading Prospect to Land Star
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler previously ranked Zharovsky as the third-best prospect in the Montreal Canadiens organization. The winger raised eyebrows during his first full KHL season last year, recording 42 points in 59 games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa. This is particularly impressive considering the forward was 18 for the majority of the season. He was rewarded with a spot on the All-Star team and the KHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Montreal would surely be open to keeping Zharovsky and having him ready for an NHL debut when his KHL contract expires in 2027. Nevertheless, they may have to part ways with the young forward if it means landing a bona fide NHL star.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Canadiens Prospect Opens Up on Time in Montreal Amid Trade Links appeared first on HEAVY.