Author: Dose

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Crosby to Montreal: the arrival of Ivan Demidov could change everything

I was chatting with a former colleague who was at the Bell Centre for the 4 Nations Tournament a few weeks ago. I asked him, for fun, what he thought about the future of Sidney Crosby.

He replied that after seeing Sid in the Canadian dressing room, he believed more and more that he won’t finish his career in Pittsburgh. 50/50, in his opinion.

In the midst of a debate about whether his pride is greater than his loyalty, he told me this: “I couldn’t conceive of such an athlete not trying to win another Stanley Cup”, before adding that it would be a crime against hockey. “The Penguins must do the right thing for Sidney Crosby”, he added, indicating that reverse loyalty also exists.

This former colleague in question is from Nova Scotia and has occasionally rubbed shoulders with Sidney Crosby. “The Canadiens would always have a chance. He has a very, very, very great appreciation for the Montreal crowd and the respect they show him”, he mentioned. “But it’s a business, and the Canadiens are a lot of ifs, and the Avalanche is a lot of trophies”.

It was Marco D’Amico, who broke the news of Ivan Demidov’s arrival in North America, who spoke these words.

(Credit: Getty Images)

At the time of having this discussion, the Canadiens were far from being in the playoff picture, more precisely ranked among the 10 worst teams in the league. It was therefore logical to speculate that if #87 chose the team he wanted to be traded to, it wouldn’t be a gamble on a young, unaccomplished team.

Sure, the Avalanche is concrete. The guys have won. They have MacKinnon, they have Makar.

Montreal, at the time, was nothing concrete except for the mix and his attachment to the city and the blue-white-red.

I suggested that Montreal would probably have been considered more if the habs had had the time to fight for a playoff spot and show some great things when it counts, if only for a round or two. A bit of concreteness, that is. Marco agreed with this theory.

The situation has already changed since then. The Canadiens will participate in the playoffs, unless a catastrophe occurs, after a very impressive third quarter of the season.

The early arrival of Ivan Demidov, widely considered the best prospect in the NHL, has the potential to change everything. In my opinion, of course.

He scored 49 points in 65 games with less than 14 minutes of ice time this season in the KHL. He scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 playoff games, playing 17 minutes per game, with SKA. His coach, Roman Rotenberg, believes he will have an immediate impact in the NHL.

Without claiming that the young Russian forward will propel the Canadiens into the top tier, we can’t claim with certainty that it’s not possible.

In reality, NO ONE knows what the Montreal Canadiens can accomplish by adding a forward of Ivan Demidov’s caliber to a team that’s already turning heads. Playoff hockey is a matter of momentum, timing, energy, and emotions. We could have argued, before yesterday’s news, that the habs already had all that.

My colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois said it yesterday: the guys in the habs’ dressing room must feel invincible.

And concretely, the habs have a good team. One of the best top trios in the league. A powerplay specialist in Patrik Laine. A third trio of veterans on fire. A future Calder winner on the blue line. Veterans, on defense, in addition to a solid young man in Kaiden Guhle. A number one goalie in the NHL. And now, a dynamic young sensation that nobody knows and nobody has studied.

Don’t get out your camping chairs just yet, that’s not the point. But the Canadiens can be a Cinderella team.

And if that’s the case.

We’re chatting: Montreal eliminates Washington, the best team in the East. They offer a good opposition to the Hurricanes in the second round.

Would Sidney Crosby be crazy to think that if he joined this team, the hope of lifting the Stanley Cup would be real?

I don’t think so.

Overtime

I’ll add this, but the Canadiens have a lot more stock to give to the Penguins than the Avalanche, in a trade, if Kyle Dubas wants to rebuild and start from scratch.

It’s not to be neglected.

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The Canadiens give themselves a serious option for the playoffs

With a win tonight, the Habs wouldn’t have officially qualified for the playoffs, but it’s almost the same.

Montreal faced the Red Wings in a big four-point game.

Here are the lineups:

After missing the last game, David Savard was back in his position. Arber Xhekaj, on the other hand, returned to the stands.

Like the last two games, the opponents started strong and scored first.

Dylan Larkin scored after a nice play by Patrick Kane.

After the first period, Detroit was only up by one goal, but dominated 24-4 in shots on goal.

Lucky that Samuel Montembeault was there in the first…

Despite the visitors’ dominance, even in the second period, the Habs stayed within a goal and only needed one shot to get back into the game.

Cole Caufield scored his 37th goal of the season after a nice defensive play.

On Caufield’s goal, number 14 also picked up his 85th point of the season.

We have to go back to 1996 to see a forward with more points than the captain in a season (Pierre Turgeon, 96).

Meanwhile, J.T. Compher is helping the Habs.

In the third period, Lane Hutson did everything for Josh Anderson. He missed a golden opportunity…

But the new dad wasn’t going to miss a second chance like that. This time, on a pass from Christian Dvorak, Andy scored his first goal since becoming a father.

In their last 12 games, this trio has more points than the team’s first line.

You read that right.

The Habs held on despite giving up 36 shots. For a second consecutive game, the Montreal goalies were almost perfect. In Monty’s case, he reached the 30-win plateau for the first time in his career.

With this win, Montreal gave itself a serious option for the playoffs.

Final score: 4-1 Habs, who scored two goals in an empty net. First, Brendan Gallagher, then Nick Suzuki.

The Habs will be back in action on Friday in Ottawa. Will Ivan Demidov make his debut?

Overtime

– Wow.

– The warrior stayed in the game, at least.

– It wouldn’t have been too much.

– Tim Stutzle is on fire.

– What an atmosphere!

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Kent Hughes has still not spoken to Ivan Demidov since his signing

Ivan Demidov has signed and it’s only a matter of time before he joins the team.

We’re waiting for his papers and he will be integrated into the Montreal lineup. But for now, there is no official deadline for his first game in the NHL.

This is what Kent Hughes stated in an interview with TSN during the first intermission.

Even though the GM of the Habs says he doesn’t want to put pressure on him – after all, Demidov is only 19 years old -, the young player will have some.

He may play on the second line and have some powerplay time. Will he have time on the first wave? If so, who will replace Martin St-Louis? It’s between Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield, as Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, and Patrik Laine won’t be replaced…

In short. Welcome to Montreal.

Hughes hopes to see him one or two times before the playoffs (if his team participates). The GM also admitted that he had not spoken to his young player, so he doesn’t know how he feels exactly. I imagine he’s excited, but the fact remains that management hasn’t spoken to him in person since last December, when they went to see him in Russia.

In addition to talking about the player of the hour in Montreal, Hughes also talked about Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Jacob Fowler, all players he candidly praised.

He also reiterated that he wants to add talent this summer. Will it be through a transaction or through the draft? He didn’t mention it.

The summer – more than ever – is something to watch in the metropolis. At least Demidov will already be there and will have had the chance to get used to the superb city.

Overtime

– Advantage Ivan Demidov.

– What a start to the season, indeed.

– A 300th goal for Ryan O’Reilly.

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Roman Rotenberg compares Ivan Demidov to Evgeni Malkin in terms of talent

The news of the hour at the Canadiens and in the NHL, is the arrival of Ivan Demidov in North America.

Just moments after being released by his club in Russia, he signed his entry-level contract.

His former coach in Russia, Roman Rotenberg, took the opportunity to speak to the Montreal media. Firstly, he praised him to BPM Sports, saying among other things that he will have an immediate impact, and to RDS, afterwards. On the RDS network, he compared his former protégé to none other than Evgeni Malkin in terms of talent.

His hockey IQ, his hockey sense. I think he has a very good one. He can create plays out of nothing. – Roman Rotenberg

Despite not treating him well all season, Rotenberg, who had a say in breaking Demidov’s contract, only had good things to say about him. Obviously, he wasn’t going to criticize him in his many interviews, but he still accepted to speak to networks that had criticized him all season.

Rotenberg is not crazy. He must know that he didn’t win over everyone in Quebec. His presence on RDS and BPM Sports is greatly appreciated. He earned some respect from me.

But to get back to the comparison he made between the two Russians, it’s still interesting. In Montreal, we have to go back a long way to see a player with the talent of Malkin. Even if he slowed down in recent years, he was still a monster in his prime. It’s a shame he was in the shadow of Sidney Crosby, because clearly, he would have had much more recognition if he played for another team.

In 1209 games with the Penguins, Geno collected 1343 points, including 513 goals.

If Demidov can have a similar career, let’s say Montreal would be in good hands. Especially since the 71 contributed to three Stanley Cups.

Overtime

– Congratulations to them.

– He will have other opportunities to get noticed.

– Tickets for $3 in Columbus. [HF]

– May he come back strong!

– An 800th game for Erik Gudbranson.

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Ivan Demidov was in an interview with Marco D’Amico when he learned he would be joining the Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens’ fans are currently completely thrilled at the idea of soon seeing Ivan Demidov play with their favorite team.

The Russian sensation has just received good news when he least expected it.

In an interview with Marco D’Amico from RG Media, Demidov had to suddenly leave to discuss something with the Canadiens, at which point he learned he would be joining the Habs.

D’Amico discussed this story during his appearance on BPM Sports on Tuesday.

Demidov didn’t directly tell D’Amico that he would be joining the Canadiens, but when he returned to the interview, he started saying that he would be playing regular-season games with the Canadiens this season, without necessarily discussing the playoffs.

This put D’Amico on high alert, who did an excellent job of deduction to understand that Montreal had just brought back its top prospect.

What’s also interesting in D’Amico’s words is that Demidov already knows what he can bring to the Habs, he might not be a player with a huge impact at his NHL debut, but he can bring a real offensive touch to the Habs.

D’Amico has done an excellent job during this uncertain period surrounding Demidov.

During the last few days, reports indicated that the Canadiens’ prospect would stay in Russia until the end of his contract, and the Habs would have to be patient.

However, D’Amico continued talking to Demidov, and this is what allowed us to know a little in advance that he would be joining the Habs.

During his interview with D’Amico, Demidov also discussed the fact that he constantly follows the Canadiens’ games and the team’s highlights.

He even has some admiration for Lane Hutson, let’s say this duo should be devastating in the years to come.

Overtime

– He’s as enthusiastic as many Canadiens fans.

– A sad piece of news for the Jets’ prospect.

– An interesting scenario to follow.

– This is funny!

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Evgeny Kuznetsov, Ivan Demidov’s mentor, has ended his contract with SKA

After Ivan Demidov, it’s now Evgeny Kuznetsov’s turn to leave SKA Saint Petersburg.

This is what the SKA’s official account shared on X in the late afternoon.

The news falls strangely after Demidov’s departure.

I say strange because Kuznetsov had a four-year contract with SKA. The team and he came to a mutual agreement to part ways.

If I had to take a bet, I’d say Kuznetsov’s hockey career is far from over. Being released by his team in Russia could allow Kuznetsov to sign with an NHL team to participate in the playoffs.

Now 32 years old, Kuznetsov has proven during the last NHL playoffs that he is capable of helping a team. He had collected six points in 10 playoff games with the Hurricanes in 2024. That’s not bad for a support player who arrives at the very end of the season.

With his 37 points in 39 games in the KHL this season, Kuznetsov has also proven that he is still able to score.

As Demidov’s mentor during the last season, one can’t help but imagine a reunion between the former Capital and the habs’ top prospect.

The two players have made the SKA shine this season. They gave us some technical masterpieces.

Demidov’s argument would be a good one to bring Kuznetsov to Montreal, but the fact of playing against his old team, the Capitals, could also weigh in the balance. And that’s if we talk about this year… because it could wait until the summer.

We can’t rule out the idea of Kuznetsov joining Washington to offer a good duel against Demidov in the first round of the playoffs. This would also allow him to reunite with his old teammate Alex Ovechkin.

These are just hypotheses, especially since several NHL teams will probably try to offer him a contract. He can be an important support player in a team that aspires to great honors.

Now we just have to wait and see where Kuznetsov’s future takes him. But if we talk about Montreal, we have to wonder if the habs need to add a player with a certain past. Does he fit into what the habs want to do?

Overtime

– It would be simply magical.

– Wow.

– They will be menacing.

– They had a stunning season.

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To go get his “Conn Smythe bonus” in 2025, Ivan Demidov will have to beat Alex Ovechkin

It’s official: Ivan Demidov is a member of the Canadiens. And don’t adjust your device: we’re still in April 2025.

The arrival of the Russian is imminent and will energize the Montreal formation – in addition to energizing Canadiens fans who didn’t ask for so much in this wild playoff chase.

He will be eligible to play in the playoffs and with the talent he has, he will play.

Moreover, it’s interesting to note that Demidov, in his entry-level contract, can earn $525,000 this year if he wins the Conn Smythe, awarded to the best player in the playoffs.

Nice clause in the contract, that. It’s probably a formality, but…

Could Ivan Demidov do like Ken Dryden: win the playoff MVP title BEFORE being the rookie of the year the following season? And can he do it by succeeding Lane Hutson – okay, that’s a stretch.

But what’s more realistic is to think that Demidov will face Alex Ovechkin in the playoffs.

Naturally, as Roman Rotenberg said to BPM Sports and Martin Lemay, facing the best in the world, including Alex Ovechkin, will be a significant challenge for Demidov. But he wanted that challenge.

This will be a passing of the torch for a young player who is possibly the next face of hockey in Russia and for his idol, the all-time leading scorer in the NHL.

So, to win his Conn Smythe, Demidov will really have to beat Ovechkin.

Yes, we know it’s a long shot: the Canadiens don’t really have a chance to make it to the finals. But since Demidov has that clause, it gives us the right to chat a bit, right?

overtime

– Seen from the same perspective… #CommeEn2010

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It’s funny, hearing Roman Rotenberg praise Ivan Demidov in that way

We covered Ivan Demidov’s entire season with SKA Saint-Petersburg.

And there was a finding that came back fairly often.

Why doesn’t Roman Rotenberg use him as he should? Why is the Canadiens’ prospect often punished by his coach, when he is the best scorer on his team and one of the most productive players in the KHL? We’ve all heard those questions…

But when you hear Rotenberg talk about Demidov like he did on BPM Sports today, you really realize that SKA’s decisions were based on contract negotiations with the player.

Because the team’s head coach really liked Ivan Demidov.

It’s no wonder he talks about him as a fantastic player, a guy who has the assets to dominate a league like the NHL and who was the MVP of SKA in the playoffs.

Roman Rotenberg sang the praises of the Canadiens’ prospect and did it beautifully. He even compared him to Artemi Panarin, saying Demidov could have a similar impact in Montreal.

Panarin, let’s remember, had a lot of success (77 points in 80 games) from his arrival in Chicago.

That being said, it’s funny to hear Rotenberg say things like that after seeing Demidov being benched several times this season…

It shows one thing: in Russia, things are done differently.

Roman Rotenberg recognizes Ivan Demidov’s talent and didn’t hesitate to praise him because the player had a great season in the KHL for a guy his age.

But that didn’t stop SKA’s head coach from using “questionable” techniques with his young player all season long, and that got people talking for fairly normal reasons.

A team must use its best players to win. And that wasn’t always the case with Demidov this season in Russia.

But okay. The good news? Ivan Demidov is coming, he signed his contract with the Canadiens… and he’ll be able to help the team quickly on the ice.

In the end, that’s what matters.

(Credit: Getty Images)

If you have the chance to listen to Roman Rotenberg’s interview on BPM Sports, I recommend taking the time to do so.

I say it’s funny to hear Rotenberg praise Ivan Demidov… But it’s also funny to hear Martin Lemay speak so kindly to one of Vladimir Putin’s good friends with everything that’s going on in Russia right now. #War

Do I need to remind you that the Canadiens got roasted for their visit to Russia – and for meeting Rotenberg – last December? It wasn’t that long ago, after all…

Will Martin Lemay receive comments like that from the media that criticized the Canadiens? Hum…

In Overtime

– File to watch.

– Oh, yeah!

– Sad news.

– What to do with Monty going forward?

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Ivan Demidov doesn’t have to run a guy over to play: there’s room for him

Advice to all the little rascals who have bad news to announce publicly: do it today.

After all, right now, almost everything is being swept under the rug. Except for the news of Ivan Demidov who has officially signed his entry contract with the habs, of course.

Even Justin Trudeau has gone to buy his seat for the parade in June next. #Héhé

What’s good is that Demidov is a bit like the deadline acquisition that the habs didn’t go get in March. And it’s a top-notch acquisition in terms of talent.

If we stay on the theme of a deadline, we know that the risk of adding a guy is to break the chemistry.

After all, when a player from the outside takes the seat of a appreciated teammate, it can create tension and not help the team in the dressing room between the players. #Chemistry

But Demidov, the players have known for a long time that he’s in the plans.

But mostly, in the case of the habs, the hole he’s going to fill in the top-6. After all, right now, the habs are struggling to find the 12th forward to complete their attack.

Without Kirby Dach, the habs need talent.

Yes, Oliver Kapanen (will he keep his number 91?) is there. But Demidov is on another planet in terms of talent in the lineup… and it’s obviously the same for Michael Pezzetta.

But mostly, it goes back to my starting point: the Russian, when he plays his next game (in six days?) won’t take the place of a guy who has sweated for 77 games with the club.

Yes, Kapanen is appreciated and so is Pezzetta. But seeing Demidov potentially take their place won’t change the excellent team dynamic that reigns in the habs’ dressing room right now.

The game has just changed on this snowy day in Montreal, anyway.

Overtime

– Well said.

– His departure for Montreal is imminent. The Russian will also need a work permit.

– Kent Hughes will be interviewed in the first intermission of tonight’s game on TSN.

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It’s confirmed, Ivan Demidov has signed his contract with the Habs

Earlier today, we learned that Ivan Demidov was coming to Montreal.

But by the time of the announcement, his contract had not yet been signed with the Canadiens.

Well, that’s done now. The Habs announced that they have agreed on the terms of a three-year entry-level contract with the forward.

What’s important to know here is that the contract starts immediately (season 24-25) and will end at the end of the 26-27 season.

He will therefore burn a year of his contract to be able to join the Canadiens this season.

He will be able to sign a big contract afterwards… but good.

Until then, the Habs will be able to take advantage of him at a low salary. And that’s just fine!

The organization’s plan will be to give him some games before the end of the season.

That being said, also note that according to RG Media, the Canadiens’ prospect will be heading to Montreal within the next 24 hours.

His arrival in the city is imminent, therefore.

And if he needs a lift, I know more than one person who would be happy to pick him up at the airport! Hehe:

Right now, there’s really a buzz in Montreal.

The guys must be going crazy in the locker room and it’s also chaotic among the team’s fans.

Everyone was so eager to see this situation unfold, after all. And now that it’s done… let’s just say the excitement is really at its peak.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen this in the city. It feels good!

Overtime

– Indeed.

– There you have it.

– I love it.