MONTREAL — (AP) — Ivan Demidov made quite the first impression in his anticipated NHL debut on Monday night.
The 19-year-old Russian forward had a goal and an assist in the first period of Montreal's 4-3 shootout loss against Chicago. The Canadiens wasted an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot.
Demidov danced around a defender to set up Alex Newhook in the slot on his third shift. Then he flashed his hands by picking up a puck that bounced off the end boards, faking a slap shot and calmly beating Arvid Soderblom to the backhand on his first shot.
“I got some good stuff today from the game,” Demidov said. “It’s pretty nice experience. Yeah, I love the city. These fans.”
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis was impressed.
“He was great,” St. Louis said. “There was one player that wasn’t worried about much and not stressed out, it was him."
Demidov was the No. 5 pick in last year's NHL draft. He led his Russian club, SKA Saint Petersburg, in scoring with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games this season, setting a Kontinental Hockey League record for under-20 players despite having inconsistent ice time.
Canadiens fans watched from afar while Demidov continued his impressive play in Russia. They’ve been buzzing with even more excitement since his arrival.
A large group of fans waited to greet him when he touched down on Canadian soil Thursday night at Toronto Pearson Airport.
Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson said the fervor surrounding Demidov's arrival has been crazy.
“It obviously shows how excited our fans are,” the 31-year-old Matheson said. “Social media kind of causes it to be way (bigger) than it could have ever been when I was growing up.”
Demidov’s move to Montreal this season appeared highly improbable a week ago.
The slick forward had been expected to join the Canadiens in 2025-26, but he signed an entry-level contract last week after he was suddenly released by SKA more than a month before his KHL contract ran out.
General manager Kent Hughes, scout Nick Bobrov and special adviser Vincent Lecavalier drew criticism for visiting their prospect last December in Russia amid the country’s ongoing war in Ukraine, but Hughes believes that trip helped make the early signing possible.
“It’s always better to have established relationships, to have gotten the chance to meet them face-to-face instead of only over the phone,” he said of meeting the SKA organization, including coach Roman Rotenberg.
At a midseason news conference on Jan. 8, Hughes downplayed the possibility that Demidov would join the Canadiens this season. So what changed?
“Two things: They were eliminated earlier than expected, and we have a chance to make the playoffs,” he said.
Hughes also said he didn’t ask for Demidov’s early release during his visit in December.
“If we left for Russia and upon arrival tried to ask for his release, I think, for me at least, I would’ve seen it from their side as disingenuous,” he said.
Demidov skated with the Canadiens’ extras Saturday morning at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, but watched that night’s game against the Maple Leafs from the press box.
His entry into the lineup comes at a key moment for Montreal, which is looking to secure the Eastern Conference’s second wild card.
The Canadiens have 89 points, four more than Columbus with one game remaining Wednesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blue Jackets have two games left, starting with a visit to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
If Columbus fails to win both its remaining games in regulation or Montreal earns at least one point against Carolina, the Canadiens advance to the postseason.
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