It’s been said numerous times, but Ivan Demidov is arguably the most purely talented teenager to join the Montreal Canadiens in over five decades.
His NHL debut lived up to the hype in almost every way imaginable – the Canadiens just didn’t get the win against the Chicago Blackhawks to clinch a playoff spot.
When Demidov took his first shift, the fans in the Bell Centre were electric. Demidov repaid their love by throwing a few hits and buzzing around the ice.
On his third shift, the Habs’ teenage Russian phenom danced down the wall, evaded a defender and sent a pass to the slot for Alex Newhook to bang home the game’s opening goal, getting Demidov his first NHL point.
A few shifts later, Demidov got in behind the Chicago defenders, collected the heavy bounce off the end boards, faked a shot as he corralled it to freeze the goalie before dangling the netminder and tucking it in, sending the fans into pure pandemonium.
Ivan Demidov had arrived.
Just one period into his North American tenure, Demidov was not only making his mark, but he was also injecting the skill and offensive punch into the Canadiens lineup that fans had dreamed of. The best part was that he was doing it well ahead of schedule.
It wasn’t a perfect game, which is to be expected for a rookie who was playing on a different continent just over a week ago.
On Chicago’s third goal, Demidov and Montreal’s Calder Trophy favorite, Lane Hutson, were playing Keep Away from the Blackhawks. A Demidov shot was blocked high in the offensive zone while Hutson was down on the half wall, which created an odd-man break the other way, giving Chicago the lead.
Despite a few mistakes, Demidov consistently made plays at the offensive end of the ice. Whether he was bursting up ice with speed, drawing pressure and finding teammates off the rush or attacking downhill and creating shot chances for himself, it was the Demidov show whenever he was on the ice.
Canadiens' Ivan Demidov Brings 'Mamba Mentality' And Otherworldly Skill To The NHLThe Montreal Canadiens got a pretty special talent in Ivan Demidov.
There were moments on the power play when Demidov’s creativity and fluidity were fully unleashed.
We saw flashes of Demidov’s elite puck skills and handling ability throughout the game. He took shifts with a variety of players, from starting with Alex Newhook and Joel Armia to skating with Nick Suzuki on one shift and Patrik Laine on a few others.
Demidov finding his place in the lineup will be a work in progress, and coach Martin St-Louis will likely play around with his lineup as he looks to find the best fit for his new toy. What we saw today was that Demidov could create and generate offense with just about anyone.
The spectacle of Demidov and the hype around his game have intensified since he was drafted last June, when he proudly proclaimed to be ready to inject the killer instinct into this Habs’ lineup. No one expected to see the 19-year-old in the NHL to end this regular season, and no one could have imagined that we’d be anticipating Demidov playing in the post-season for Montreal.
Now, we may get to see both – if the Canadiens get at least one point in their final game or the Columbus Blue Jackets don’t win their final two games in regulation.
Canadiens Fans Are Gaga About Ivan Demidov – But Expectations Are Extremely HighWe all know how much Montreal loves its hockey – specifically its Montreal Canadiens.
The excitement from fans has been explosive. From greeting him upon arrival at the airport to rushing to put No. 93 sweaters on their backs, Canadiens fans know just how special Demidov can be for them. He has the potential to be a transformational piece for the sport's most historic franchise.
Although Montreal didn’t get the win in his debut, the atmosphere in the Bell Centre and around Montreal in the leadup to Demidov’s earth-shattering debut was warranted. Their young superstar in the making did everything in his power to prove his worth. A goal and an assist in his debut surely won’t calm any hype as the team looks to charge toward the playoffs with Demidov helping lead the way.
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