NHL Insider Compares New Montreal Canadien Ivan Demidov to 100-Point Scorer

The Montreal Canadiens have been unexpectedly good this season despite being inconsistent and today their fans just got some more major good news.

Earlier today, it was revealed that top prospect Ivan Demidov had signed his entry-level contract with the team.

Of course, this means that Demidov will join the Canadiens before the end of the regular season, just in time to join them for their first playoff appearance since 2021.

While the Habs remain a long-shot to go on a deep playoff run, the addition of Demidov alone could prove to be a difference maker.

After all, the 19-year-old lead his KHL team in scoring in both the regular season and the playoffs this year, despite getting inconsistent playing time.

Demidov had 22 goals and 54 points in 71 games combined between the regular season and playoffs.

Clearly, the Canadiens themselves see the potential for an immediate impact as part of his entry-level deal included a big bonus if he wins the Conn Smythe trophy as playoffs MVP this year.

Needless to say, there is a ton of hype surrounding the former 5th overall pick.

In fact, NHL insider Cam Robinson compared him to Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, not just because they are both Russian, but because he believes Demidov can be that same level of player.

Kaprizov has 183 goals and 382 points in 315 career NHL games. If Demidov can score even close to that rate immediately, who knows how far Montreal could go in the playoffs this year.

Regardless, Demidov will certainly be a part of the team's core for at least the next decade, and with the help of players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, David Reinbacher, and Juraj Slafkovsky, the Canadiens could be a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference for years to come.