The Montreal Canadiens got a pretty special talent in Ivan Demidov.
Without being hyperbolic in any way, Demidov might be the best teenage talent the Canadiens are bringing into the fold since they drafted Guy Lafleur first overall in 1971.
A team can rarely inject a player with this level of skill into the lineup at this stage of the season. We see NCAA and major junior players join NHL clubs around this time of year, but a Russian player is rarely granted a release from his KHL club.
Now that Demidov did get released and signed an entry-level contract on Tuesday, the biggest question is what he will bring to the Canadiens’ lineup and how he can help add an element to the team that it lacks as it works toward the playoffs.
Demidov is a highly skilled player in various ways. His puckhandling his intentional and artistic. He can weave and dart through traffic, working off his edges in unorthodox ways at times, presenting a unique challenge for defenders. While he’s not a burner, Demidov brings the elusiveness and shiftiness that players like Lane Hutson or Mitch Marner bring to the game.
Demidov’s mobility, shiftiness and puck skill give defenders fits. While most players telegraph what they will do with the direction of their feet or the way they handle the puck, Demidov can instantly shift his weight or work off his inside edge to change direction in ways that most NHLers simply don’t do.
WHAT A GOAL 🤫
— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) January 3, 2025
🚨 Ivan Demidov #GoHabsGo
1-0 SKA pic.twitter.com/mXCEhidHGp
So much of hockey is reading and reacting to what is developing on the ice as it happens, and the best players find ways to dictate play. Demidov consistently creates small advantages by finding gaps or recognizing how defenders choose to play him and then exploiting whatever they give him.
His spatial awareness was elite at the KHL level. While there will be a bit less space in the NHL, Demidov’s ability to adapt and maneuver through pressure has made him successful. He is clinical with his skill, attacking play head-on. Demidov commands the puck and takes the burden of being the driving force off his teammates.
When he gets into the offensive zone, Demidov is ready for just about anything. He scans and reads the zone, recognizes where his teammates are and where they are going, and then makes the best play to put his team in a position to score.
Demidov is a wickedly skilled playmaker at heart, showcasing the combination of finesse and precision needed to feather pucks onto his teammate’s stick or a willingness to assert himself with a hard pass through traffic to flip the ice laterally.
Sheesh... Ivan Demidov with a 5-game assist streak and this one is 🥵 pic.twitter.com/G8yruEq30A
— KHL (@khl_eng) February 13, 2025
His shooting talent is wildly underrated as he can rip the puck from various hand positions, whether the puck is extended out in front of him or tight at his feet. Demidov’s shot pops off his stick quickly, which makes life difficult for goalies trying to read it.
He still has some room to grow defensively, but he is a relentless worker who always hunts the puck down. He is a nifty stick lifter and can pull pucks off opposing players in the neutral zone and flip play in an instant.
What really separates Demidov is his mentality. He is mentally built differently than so many other athletes. While many are motivated and driven, Demidov is cut from the same cloth as the most intense athletes in sports. Take what he said at the draft, for example, when asked if he is ready to be the game-breaking talent the Canadiens were missing.
“I am ready,” Demidov said. “Kobe Bryant is my idol in sports. I try to take his Mamba Mentality. It’s the first word I learned… killer instinct.”
Demidov wasn’t being tongue-in-cheek when he said that. He wants the pressure and the spotlight. He thrives when all eyes are on him. This is what he was born to do.
When he steps into the Canadiens’ lineup, he will add an element of skill, tenacity and creativity they need. The diverse offensive skill he brings to the game will give them the depth scoring they need behind captain Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
Demidov would be an excellent fit on the team’s second line, instantly becoming the most dangerous player on the ice for Montreal. Playing opposite Patrik Laine would allow him to make the most of his playmaking and puckhandling ability. It would give Laine a running mate to produce offensively on the second line and fill the void they’ve been rotating players in and out of on the left wing.
Demidov’s work rate and intensity away from the puck, along with his need to prove to coach Martin St-Louis he deserves a spot in the top six, will also help a player like Laine, who is less engaged defensively.
The stars are aligning for Montreal this year in many ways. Nick Suzuki is the first Canadiens player to eclipse 80 points since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08. Cole Caufield will challenge 40 goals. Lane Hutson is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy. Ivan Demidov has arrived.
Things are looking up for Montreal, and the top teams in the Atlantic division are on notice. Montreal is coming, and Demidov will be a massive piece of that puzzle.
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