Former Canadiens third-round pick Dmitri Kostenko called out by his own GM
The Montreal Canadiens had high hopes for Dmitri Kostenko when they drafted him back in 2021, but now it appears his future in hockey is up in the air.
Draft picks are incredibly hard to predict, with sometimes even the surest of sure things turning up bust, but this pick for the Montreal Canadiens was a risky one at the time. Back in 2021, the team selected Russian blue liner Dmitri Kostenko in the third-round, and while his development was seemingly going well, all that has changed.
Kostenko played for Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk in the VHL in Russia this past season, and while he succeeded individually with 20 points in 22 games, off the ice, the organization weren't happy with him. In a recent interview, GM Sergei Gusev had this to say about the 21-year old prospect;
"He will never make it [to the NHL].
"He doesn't want to learn, he just wants to do his own thing," said Gusev with disgust. "You tell him to pass the puck across the ice and he will give the puck to the opponent anyways."
"He doesn't want to learn, he just wants to do his own thing," said Gusev with disgust. "You tell him to pass the puck across the ice and he will give the puck to the opponent anyways."
The scathing criticism didn't stop there, as Gusev went all in on Kostenko's work ethic and ability off the ice as well.
"On top of it, if you don't put him on the power play he pouts," added Gusev. "He won't saying anything but you can see it in his body language, he drives me crazy, seriously."
"I told him the same things," said Gusev of his conversations with Bobrov. "Bobrov told me that from his end that he had been following this kid for two years and that nothing had changed. I wasn't surprised to hear that."
"I told him the same things," said Gusev of his conversations with Bobrov. "Bobrov told me that from his end that he had been following this kid for two years and that nothing had changed. I wasn't surprised to hear that."
At this point in his development, things couldn't be looking worse for Kostenko, but if he can turn things around and respect his coaches and the front office on and off the ice, the ability is still there. Knowing that these comments were made however, it's not likely that he'll be in Montreal anytime soon, and for a talented third-round pick, that could be a big loss for the Canadiens.
Source: Hockey Feed
Canadiens draft pick Dmitri Kostenko destroyed by his own GM.
| POLL | ||
Will Dmitri Kostenko ever get a shot in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 75 | 34.9 % |
| No | 140 | 65.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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