Video: Dazzling Demidov Does It Again—Another Must-See Performance

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

The Montreal Canadiens have already injected plenty of excitement into the fanbase with their 12-3-1 run in their last 16 games to firmly insert themselves into the playoff conversation in the Eastern Conference. But this run pales in comparison to the thrills that Russian phenom Ivan Demidov is going to provide when he arrives later in 2025. 

Witness this latest must-see performance by the 19-year-old sensation in the KHL:

Those filthy moves led to his 16th goal of the season, and he added his 21st assist earlier in the game, with a wild no-look pass to set up a goal: 

That gives him 37 points in 45 games with a plus/minus rating of +22, but in his first 10 or 15 games of the season, he got very limited ice time, playing only about 11 minutes per game. Now, he's up to about the 20-minute mark in TOI per night.   

And in case you missed it last week, there was this no-look backhander for a goal: 

The plaudits just keep on coming, including from former NHL defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who had the good fortune of spending the first few months of the season playing on SKA St. Petersburg with Demidov in the KHL before recently returning to North America. He had this to say about the Habs' exciting prospect: 

Demidov was selected with the 5th overall pick by the Habs in the 2024 Draft, and DeAngelo can't figure it out. "It's hard for me to believe that three teams" passed on him, after Celebrini went with No. 1, said the eight-year veteran. 

"There's no way this guy doesn't turn into... the lowest end possible, would be a 30-goal top-six winger. That's my low-end for him," said DeAngelo.

He now has 17 points in his last 11 games for SKA. 

Next season can't come soon enough for Montreal fans, not to mention hockey fans league-wide.  

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