Galchenyuk's ex-agent Larionov: I tried to help him
Alex Galchenyuk's former agent says he was just trying to help the Montreal Canadiens forward.
Igor Larionov, the Hockey Hall of Fame player-turned-agent, and Ian Pulver were both dropped by Galchenyuk, as first reported by TVA's Renaud Lavoie Monday.
“Ian and I were trying to help him to become a good hockey player but, more importantly, to be a good human being,” Larionov told the Montreal Gazette's Pat Hickey.
Larionov and Pulver are partners and co-founders of The Will Sports Group. The Russian hockey legend represented Galchenyuk dating back to the 21-year-old's time with the OHL's Sarnia Sting.
“I would speak to him every day," Larionov said. "I think I spent more time talking to him than talking to my wife."
Galchenyuk was dropped to the fourth line by head coach Michel Therrien late in the season.
“I tried to make him understand that he has to be patient," Larionov said.
"I had to wait when I was a young player; every great player has a time when he’s going to be on the bench, but you have to learn that’s part of the game.”
Pulver was more surprised that Galchenyuk parted ways with Larionov than himself.
“He didn’t fire me, he fired a Hall of Famer,” Pulver said.
Galchenyuk is a pending restricted free agent, and negotiations with the Canadiens are now on hold until he finds new representation. He carried a cap hit of $925,000 in the final year of his entry-level contract.
He registered a career-high 20 goals and 46 points in his third campaign with Montreal.
- With h/t to Pro Hockey Talk