'NHL's Most Hated Player' Nick Cousins May Face Suspension for Illegal Slash on Canadiens Star Ivan Demidov

Demidov, the Montreal Canadiens' fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL entry draft, has been listed early on in his career as a future superstar. There was little doubt about it last night in an exhibition game between the Canadiens and Senators; he oozes star potential, and looks like he'll already be dominant upon entering the league.

One aspect of the NHL Demidov is far from prepared from, however, is players like Nick Cousins - players who've built themselves an identity for injuring players with their reckless decisions.

Cousins has before been referred to as the 'most hated player in the NHL'. As Hockey Night in Canada host Kevin Bieksa put it nearly two years ago, there is no place for players like Cousins in the NHL - a sentiment that has been widely repeated since.

Last night, Cousins, with the Senators already down by four to the Canadiens, opted to slash Demidov blatantly, leading to him leaving the game.

One thing the NHL Department of Player Safety tends to keep in mind when making decisions is a player's history. Cousins has faced several fines from the league for dirty play, and has made no effort to change his ways; if the league is trying to teach somebody a lesson, they have their guy.

Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis made his thoughts abundantly clear in his post-game press conference:

We will see if Cousins faces any punishment for this two-handed slash; many are calling for it. Hopefully, Demidov will be okay, and will be able to start his rookie season with the bang Canadiens fans are hoping for.