Find yourself someone who loves you like Montreal Canadiens fans (rightfully) adore Ivan Demidov.
Seriously. From the moment the club selected him fifth overall in Vegas last June, it’s been Demidov-mania on every corner of the internet. Video clips, interviews, you name it. Habs fans are obsessed with the 19-year-old right winger from Sergiyev Posad, Russia – a city that has never produced another NHLer.
The Canadiens are in a playoff push, with the club looking likely to clinch one of the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots. That’s a team you don’t want to have to face right now. They’ve been on an absolute roll in the second half after nearly sitting in last place at one point.
Lane Hutson is having a Calder-caliber season. Nick Suzuki is playing the best hockey of his career. Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky are lighting it up. And that’s just scratching the surface.
So, adding Demidov to the team’s late-season push—something that was far from a formality at one point—is going to create an electric atmosphere at the Bell Centre. And that’s because Demidov is the best prospect in hockey.
Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin called Demidov the team’s biggest superstar since Guy Lafleur after the Russian winger was drafted. Just under a year later, it’s hard to disagree. It doesn’t seem to matter whom he plays with or how much ice time he gets – Demidov is as confident as it gets and continues to find ways to produce.
Demidov set the KHL U-20 scoring record earlier this year with 49 in 65 games. He did so despite his fluctuating ice time – from the odd benching to a sudden trip to the top line. But Demidov never seemed deterred, hung around and always made the most of his opportunities. He led the team in points despite playing fewer than 10 minutes on 20 occasions, and even was healthy scratched at points.
“He could have easily demanded he get moved or played elsewhere, but he took the opportunity in stride and thrived,” one scout said. “It’s not easy playing for a highly regarded program like SKA where player development is secondary to current success. But Demidov had a truly special season.”
Stylistically, the allure is unmistakable. Demidov is extremely creative, has quick hands, is good on his feet and makes smart decisions with the puck. He utilizes a stutter-step move that confuses defensemen, making it hard for them to predict his next move. His shot is notably deceptive in several ways; he often lulls defenders into thinking he’s aiming high before unexpectedly shooting between the goaltender’s legs. At times, he will wind up as if to take a powerful shot, but instead, he opts for a much softer release. Scouts love the speed of his shot, but also the way he varies it, making him difficult to stop.
It’s common for players who produce as much offense as Demidov to suffer in their own zone. But that’s never been a problem for Demidov – at least compared to others his age. He’s so dedicated to playing a 200-foot game while also throwing around his body, even if physicality isn’t a big part of his game yet. Demidov has such a good read for the game at both ends, and he’s an outstanding transitional player, too. We’ll see how this part of his game translates over to the NHL, but there aren’t many reasons to be concerned right now.
Putting up fantastic numbers in the KHL is one thing. Translating it to the NHL is another story. But Demidov has almost always played against older competition and has never looked out of place. Few prospects process the game at his speed and have the actual tangible talent to make something out of it. That’s why a 49-point KHL rookie season is absolutely incredible. Nothing whatsoever seems to faze him.
“He can shoot, read plays, all at an extremely high level,” one scout said prior to the draft. “Size isn’t a concern. The overall package is very translatable to the NHL.”
Many thought Demidov was the second-best prospect a year ago. The Russian factor wasn’t the same as it was with Matvei Michkov, who, in 2023, had a multi-year KHL contract before the Philadelphia Flyers drafted him. For Demidov, his deal was always going to end at the end of 2024-25, and he told teams early on he was ready to come over to the NHL once it was over.
The Canadiens only have four games to go before the playoffs – Ottawa on Friday, Toronto on Saturday, Chicago on Monday and Carolina next Wednesday. The pressure is on for Montreal to secure the final playoff spot. Demidov might have no NHL experience yet, but his energy, skill and pure rawness could come in handy down the stretch. He’d give the team instant scoring help on the right side, potentially as high as the second line.
One scout likened Demidov’s skill to that of Kirill Kaprizov and Nikita Kucherov. They also said Demidov had the highest ceiling of any player from the 2024 draft. Now, we’re days away from seeing what he can do against the best in the world.
“He’s an absolute rock star,” the scout said. “Montreal, get ready.”
