The Montreal Canadiens are in the driver’s seat for the eighth playoff spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference and have been one of the biggest surprise stories in the league this season. They are also about to get an absolutely massive boost to their lineup who could significantly help their chances if — and when — they officially clinch that postseason spot.
The Canadiens learned on Tuesday that top prospect Ivan Demidov, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has been released from his contract in Russia’s KHL, paving the way for him to join the Canadiens this season.
It is still not known when Demidov will officially join the Canadiens, but getting him as a late-season addition is a huge boost to an already-young, up-and-coming team.
Demidov was considered one of the top prospects in the 2024 draft class, but he slipped down to the No. 5 spot over concerns as to how long it would take him to come over from Russia. As it turns out, it was much faster than anybody anticipated.
In 65 games this season Demidov led St. Petersburg SKA with 49 total points (19 goals, 30 assists), which is an incredible performance for an 18-year-old in what is the second-best professional hockey league in the world. He is NHL-ready and a huge addition for a likely playoff team.
When the season began, expectations for the Canadiens were low given their ongoing rebuild, but they have hung around in the playoff race all season. Young forwards like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have all taken big steps forward this season, while rookie defenseman Lane Hutson has emerged as a potential Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) contender. Veteran forward Patrik Laine has also added a big goal-scoring component, and now Demidov is set to join that core.
Whether the Canadiens do anything in the playoffs this season is secondary. The fact they are even in this position is a huge step forward for the organization. Now they have another key building block arriving to give even more hope for the short-term outlook.
