Habs Daily: Ivan Demidov’s Impact, Kovacevic Trade, UFAs

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, highlights, and stories you may have missed during the weekend.

Monday marks the opening of free agency, which means we should expect some news once it officially opens at 12:00 pm ET.

Montreal Canadiens News

• 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.[Canadiens Selection Of Demidov Could Be Franchise-Defining]
• The Habs relieved some of the logjam on defence by trading third-pairing defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a fourth-round pick. The return is unspectacular, but the important part of the deal is the ice time liberated for young players who are expected to play a big part in the team’s long-term rebuild plans. [Canadiens Trade Defenceman Ahead Of Free Agency]
• ICYMI: The Canadiens had a great 2024 NHL Entry Draft. You can take a look at all our coverage in the most recent Habs Wrap. [Canadiens 2024 Draft: Demidov, Hage, Celine Dion & The Future]

• As expected, the Habs qualified Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron. They did not tender offers to Jesse Ylonen and Mattias Norlinder. Jeff Gorton had spilled the beans about the team’s intentions prior to the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. [Canadiens Draft Intentions, RFA Signings, Trade Talk, and UFAs]

• The Canadiens have invited three players to participate in the team’s development camp.

The Canadiens have invited QMJHL forwards Justin Larose, Félix Gagnon and Jules Boilard to their Development Camp#HabsNews

— Costa Rontzocos (@Rontzeeez) June 30, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

• The Sunday deadline came and went, and P.O. Joseph’s time with the Pittsburgh Penguins may have come and gone, as well. The Penguins and president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas did not qualify the restricted free agent, making him an unrestricted free agent as of Monday.[Pittsburgh Penguins]
• After moving John Marino to Utah and acquiring Paul Cotter from the Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey flipped a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick in exchange for Habs defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic . The Canadiens will receive the highest of the three fourth-round picks that the Devils have. [New Jersey Devils]
• Paul Maurice had a lot to say when he stepped to the mic at the Florida Panthers Championship Celebration following their soggy 2-mile parade on Sunday afternoon. Wearing a custom-made Panthers shirt — his two cats served as the current logo on the front, and the leaping cat logo on the back — Maurice put the censors working the live television broadcast into a tizzy. [Florida Panthers]