Top prospect Ivan Demidov will make his highly anticipated NHL debut on Monday when the Montreal Canadiens take on the Chicago Blackhawks, with a chance to secure a playoff spot. Demidov skated on the right wing of the third line alongside centre Alex Newhook and winger Joel Armia during the morning skate.
Originally expected to join the Canadiens next season, Demidov signed an entry-level contract last week after being unexpectedly released by SKA Saint Petersburg of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) earlier than anticipated. The fifth overall pick in last year’s NHL Draft, Demidov led SKA in scoring with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games this season, setting a KHL record for under-20 players despite inconsistent ice time.
Fans in Montreal have been buzzing since Demidov’s arrival. The 19-year-old Russian forward touched down in Toronto last Thursday, greeted by an excited crowd of Canadiens supporters. A live stream of his arrival on X (formerly Twitter) garnered a peak viewership of 175,000.
Demidov had previously skated with the Canadiens’ extras on Saturday morning at Scotiabank Arena but did not play against the Toronto Maple Leafs later that day. His debut comes at a crucial time for the Canadiens, who currently hold the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, with 88 points, three ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Montreal needs to secure a win against the struggling Blackhawks (23-46-11) to clinch their playoff spot.
The Canadiens will close their regular season Wednesday against the playoff-bound Carolina Hurricanes.
Source: Swifteradio.com.
