Canadiens Selection Of Demidov Could Be Franchise-Defining

The Montreal Canadiens look to have made a franchise-altering move at the 2024 NHL Draft in selecting Ivan Demidov at 5th overall.

If you ask the Canadiens, they think they walked out of this year’s draft like bandits.

When Co-Directors of Scouting, Nick Bobrov and Martin Lapointe stepped up to review the 2024 NHL Draft haul on Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft, they looked like they had just won the lottery,

When they were asked point-blank whether they felt they had the steal of the draft on their hands in Ivan Demidov, Bobrov not only agreed, but took it one step further.

“Absolutely. That’s an understatement,”retorted Bobrov.

Despite their obvious bias, they’re not wrong.

NHL betting odds had Demidov closer in likelihood to the second, third and fourth overall picks than the 5th overall pick leading up to the draft; only seeing a sharp swerve at the last minute hours before the draft.

With the selection of Ivan Demidov, the Canadiens have finally acquired a player with the potential to be a game-breaker for the club moving forward; the type of offensive talent they haven’t had in a generation.

Outside of another 5th overall pick in Carey Price, no other player selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the last 50 years has had the potential that Demidov possesses; and, had it not been for his place of birth, the Canadiens likely would have never gotten the chance.

But, sometimes, the risk is worth the reward.

Breaking the Mold

One NHL scout reached out to applaud the Canadiens on their selection, and took it one step forward.

“Selecting Ivan Demidov is a game-changer for the franchise,” said the source on the basis of anonymity. “He’s got the highest ceiling of any player they’ve picked in decades and has the highest potential of any Canadiens forward since Guy Lafleur.”

No pressure kid.

That’s saying something, considering the Montreal Canadiens have drafted quite a few impactful players since 1971, like Stéphane Richer, Bob Gainey, Steve Shutt, Saku Koivu, Cole Caufield and more.

Sound crazy? Let’s look at it for a second.

As much as those were great players, some of which are deservedly in the Hall of Fame for their amazing contributions to championship teams, none of them (outside of Shutt) were ever pegged to be perennial point-per-game players.

In fact, the Montreal Canadiens haven’t had a point-per-game player in their midst since Alex Kovalev in 2008; over 16 years ago.

What’s worse, the last time they drafted a player who went on to register 82 points or more in a season was when they selected Mike Ribeiro in the second round of the 1998 NHL Draft.

The cherry on the sundae of mediocrity? The last homegrown talent to hit 82 points or more while playing for the Canadiens was Stéphane Richer, who registered 91 points in 1989-1990.

Needless to say, the Montreal Canadiens faithful have been starved for a superstar; and they may just have found one in Ivan Demidov.

Only A Matter Of Time

Some of the risk involved with selecting Ivan Demidov is the uncertainty of playing time in Russia and the contractual situation he currently has with his club, SKA St. Petersburg.

Demidov was relegated to the MHL, the Russian junior league, because he refused to extend his contract with the team; continuously stating that he wished to head overseas to North America to continue his hockey career in the NHL.

Often used as a pressure tactic to dissuade top Russian talents from leaving early, SKA sent Demidov, who dominated the KHL pre-season, to the MHL and let him sit there all season to dominate. This, despite being clearly head-and-shoulders above the competition.

Evaluating his play against much weaker competition was another key point of contention for many scouts, as they questioned whether Demidov’s output of 23 goals and 60 points in just 30 games came as a result of weaker competition.

For the Montreal Canadiens, not only was it not a problem, it only showcased how resilient he was; playing hard every shift and outworking his opponents; despite knowing he was too good for that league.

But did it hold his development back? Not according to the Canadiens.

When Martin Lapointe was asked whether Demidov would be NHL-ready, were it not for his obligation to finish out the last year of his contract in Russia, he was almost amused by the question.

“What do you think?,” responded Lapointe without any hesitation.

That’s how good the Montreal Canadiens think Demidov is as a prospect.

So… When’s He Coming Over?

The million-dollar question is obvious at this junction: When will Demidov play for the Canadiens?

The talented forward has one-year left on his deal with SKA. So, whether he plays in the MHL or KHL, his season will likely come to a close between late-March and mid-April.

There is a sliver of hope the Canadiens could have SKA simply release Demidov if they know he isn’t staying, rather than punish him all year in the MHL. But, don’t hold your breath on that one.

At the conclusion of next season (2024-2025), Demidov would be in his right to ask SKA to release him from his contract. SKA would be able to retain his KHL rights, and Demidov would be able to join the Montreal Canadiens in the final games of the 2024-2025 NHL season.

The Minnesota Wild went through the same process with top prospect Marat Khusnutdinov earlier this year. After SKA granted his release at the end of the KHL season in late February, Khusnutdinov was able to sign his entry-level contract with the Wild to go overseas and join them in their late-season playoff push.

With the Montreal Canadiens hoping to make a similar push for the playoffs this upcoming season, having Ivan Demidov come over to finish out the year could be exactly what the doctor ordered for both parties.

Needless to say, he’ll be well worth the wait.

*For more NHL betting lines and futures, head over to FanDuel