Montreal judge lets Demidov withdraw guilty plea over speeding ticket

A Montreal judge allowed hockey player Ivan Demidov to withdraw a guilty plea over a speeding ticket, enabling him to drive again pending a municipal court decision, Le Journal de Montréal reported on October 14.

According to the newspaper, Demidov's lawyer appeared in court on October 9. The summer ticket alleged he was driving at 111 km/h in a 70 km/h zone. Demidov denied that speed in a sworn statement.

A Montreal Canadiens employee paid the fine on his behalf and said the payment had been a mistake. Payment automatically resulted in a guilty plea.

The newspaper also reported a February ticket for driving at 145 km/h, which added three demerit points. The two tickets carry six points in total, while his probationary licence allows only four.

Demidov had received notice of a pending licence suspension until January 2027, the newspaper said. Withdrawal of the plea leaves the summer speeding allegation for Montreal's municipal court to decide.