Scars on the Rafters: From Latendresse to Demidov’s Debut
Some names still echo off the Bell Centre’s rafters, while others… well, linger in its shadows.
So let us get to it:
Kotkaniemi, Galchenyuk, Ribeiro, Latendresse… but let’s focus on the last two.
Mike Ribeiro and Guillaume Latendresse’s experiences as hyped teens in Montreal now serve as cautionary tales for prospects like Ivan Demidov—just as the Canadiens prepare to face the Washington Capitals in the 2025 playoffs.
I still remember those games when the fans inevitably turned on the team—or the player. For Canadiens fans born in the ’80s, those memories feel like scars.
It was only a few minutes into one contest I’ll never forget, when the boos began. That’s when Yvon Pedneault’s voice cracked through the noise: “C’est fait, Koivu a passé à Ribeiro.” Back then, a Canadiens squad desperate to recapture the past leaned on tight‑knit cliques and familiar storylines—and Saku Koivu, once beloved, suddenly endured 21,000 boos. The narrative was half‑baked, fuel left over from a media starved for drama once the scent of Stanley Cup glory had vanished faster than Jose Theodore’s save percentage after his Vezina campaign.
Inevitably, those boos arrived for Ribeiro as well…
And so the hunt for the next saviour continued. From Latendresse to Louis Leblanc, then Alex Galchenyuk to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, each rookie dazzled briefly—only to leave fans staring down the barrel of another lottery pick. Listen to Latendresse, co‑hosting the Poche Bleue podcast with ex‑Hab pest Maxime Lapierre, and you can still taste the sour afterburn of unfounded media criticism. None was harsher than Ryan Dixon’s 2008 Hockey News barb, suggesting Latendresse’s roster spot owed more to his Francophone roots than to his skill on Bell Centre ice.
And so it went, whenever Latendresse needed a confidence boost, the critiques flew—about his skating, his finishing, his consistency—never about the raw talent he displayed at 19. Imagine how he might’ve flourished under a Martin St. Louis–style coach, one who leads with encouragement as much as instruction. In those days, Habs coaches were all stick and no carrot—just ask anyone who saw Michel Therrien rip into P.K. Subban in that locker‑room series. Patience and support were always in short supply, so were winning seasons.
More often than not, it backfired. Media pressure plus misplaced fan expectations brewed a toxic cocktail. Ribeiro himself once warned about countless rookies, “I hope they don’t ruin him.” And even now—under a blanket of adoration where every demotion sparks whispers about speaking French, every defensive miscue prompts Patrick Brisebois–style ridicule of Mike Matheson, and skeptics still doubt Nick Suzuki’s suitability as a No. 1 centre—those old narratives haven’t entirely disappeared.
Yet this spring feels different. Nick Suzuki—once criticized for being undersized or not Francophone enough—wears the “C” with quiet authority, answering critics on the ice rather than in the headlines. Martin St. Louis’s emphasis on teaching and creativity over punishment has given prospects like Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caulfield the freedom to grow without fear of an immediate benching. And Ivan Demidov, Montreal’s 2023 first‑round pick, has been carefully sheltered in his first two games—inserted in spot shifts alongside veteran linemates and given the space to learn, even as the playoff intensity ratchets up inevitably against Washington’s seasoned, structure‑driven roster.
Oh, did we mention Lars Eller?
So here’s a reminder as Demidov steps into Alex Ovechkin’s barn for his first taste of playoff hockey: his maturation follows its own timeline, and every turnover is part of the process. Don’t boo at each mistake—cheer him on as he adapts to the speed and physicality of the postseason. And when the Habs eventually exit these playoffs—whether in the first round or beyond—remember: don’t be sad it’s over; be grateful it happened.
After all, Les Canadiens’ greatest stories come from embracing the journey, not fearing the final whistle.