Habs Daily: Hage’s Big Night, Demidov, Possible RHP Injury

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

Montreal Canadiens News

ICYMI: As of now, top Habs prospect Ivan Demidov is expected to play for SKA Saint Petersburg next season, however, if he ends up as the odd man out the Canadiens could end up engaging in a discussion to establish his transfer fee. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes mentioned he would be happy if Demidov ends up playing in the KHL, but would have to reconsider things if the team’s top prospect was not given a roster spot in the league. Seeing as Demidov only has one year left on his contract, SKA is not allowed to loan him to another KHL team.  [Montreal Canadiens Top Prospect Ivan Demidov’s Future Unclear]

We all know the rules. If Demidov is mentioned, it must be followed by a highlight video.

Why Ivan Demidov is the second-best prospect in the #2024NHLDraft.

My deep dive at @TheAthleticNHL:https://t.co/AaEbbPMBnM pic.twitter.com/VjHQA32vzr

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 25, 2024

Habs forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard was reportedly injured at an event involving former Canadiens players and current Laval Rocket skaters. The report is yet to be confirmed by the Habs, so we will have to take it with a grain of salt for now, but according to Tout Sur Le Hockey it was yet another lower-body injury. [RHP Reportedly Injured (FR)]

This is a pretty cool video. 2024 first-round pick Michael Hage was a lifelong Canadiens fan, following in the footsteps of his father, who tragically passed away before he could witness his son don la Sainte-Flanelle. Hage dedicated his 2023-24 season to his father, which is why the raw emotion as the Habs called his name is incredibly poignant, yet heartwarming.

The moment lifelong Habs fan Michael Hage was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens. This is what it’s all about folks. Sometimes dreams really do come true ♥️pic.twitter.com/XoBhlHVYrU

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) July 21, 2024

It’s always a good time to check out another great Jacob Fowler highlight.

Let’s take another look at the 2023-24 Hockey East Men’s Play of the Year! 👀 pic.twitter.com/OKntcTTFaa

— BC Men’s Hockey (@BC_MHockey) July 20, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

• Right now, even with the Panthers looking a little different, they should be a playoff team in a division which looks pretty much the same even with all the additions and subtractions by the contenders. Florida, Tampa Bay, Boston, and Toronto continue to look like the class of the division and should be the front-runners for a playoff spot this coming season. [Philadelphia Flyers]
• On Saturday, a charity game mixing the two leagues came together, thanks in large part to Utah’s Mikhail Sergachev and New York‘s Artremi Panarin. Both helped set up the match and sponsored it through their foundations. [Colorado Avalanche]

• The top 100 athletes of the 21st-century list would have been difficult for any organization to compile, but the Mouseketeer network found a way to slip beneath even the barest of expectations. Of course, everyone would quibble with this pick or that one, how high or low this athlete was ranked. But ESPN, in its true colors, absolutely disrespected hockey to the point of ignorance, essentially disregarding the sport and the best player of the century, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. [Pittsburgh Penguins]