Habs rookie Demidov wows Bell Centre crowd, but team fails to punch playoff ticket
Ivan Demidov scored on 1st career shot, added assist, but Canadiens lose to Blackhawks in shootout
Ivan Demidov lived up to the hype in his highly anticipated — and sooner-than-expected — NHL debut Monday.
His Montreal Canadiens missed another opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. But the 19-year-old Russian with dazzling talent, however, put on a show with a goal and an assist — and the fans responded with raucous ovations and chants of "DE-MI-DOV!" at the Bell Centre.
Demidov was caught mouthing a couple of expletives before cracking a big smile on the bench when public address announcer Michel Lacroix announced his first point amid the bedlam.
"It's a pretty nice experience," Demidov said post-game. "Yeah, I love the city, these fans."
Demidov danced around a defender to set up Alex Newhook on his third shift, then he flashed his hands with a calm deke to the backhand for his first NHL goal on his first shot 13:32 into the game.
The fifth overall pick in last year's draft was considered perhaps the best prospect yet to play a game in the NHL before taking the ice Monday.
He led Russian club SKA Saint Petersburg in scoring with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games this season, setting a new KHL record for under-20 players.
"He has a unique blend of skill, hockey sense, deception," general manager Kent Hughes said Monday, prior to the rookie's first-career NHL game.
A buzz unlike any other
Canadiens fans watched from afar while Demidov routinely made highlight-reel plays in Russia. They've buzzed with even more excitement since his arrival.
A large group of Habs faithful eagerly waited to greet him when he touched down on Canadian soil last Thursday at Toronto Pearson Airport.
Many more watched from home.
Montreal-based podcaster and radio host Tony Marinaro streamed Demidov's airport arrival live on X, the platform, formerly known as Twitter, reaching a high of 175,000 viewers.
"It's crazy," Demidov said. "I feel that the fans love me."
Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson grew up in nearby Pointe-Claire, Que., and can hardly remember the fan base showing such fervour for one player.
"It's been nuts. It obviously shows how excited our fans are," said the 31-year-old. "Social media kind of causes it to be way [bigger] than it could have ever been when I was growing up."
Sports equipment company Warrior took advantage of the craze by rolling out campaign posters of Demidov on Monday morning around Montreal in a nod to the April 28 federal election.
The pressure was high, but Demidov was up for the challenge.
"He's a special player," veteran forward Brendan Gallagher said. "Not an easy situation to come in like he is with the amount of pressure that he's dealing with. Seemed like whenever he had the puck, something good was going to happen."
"He was great," added head coach Martin St. Louis. "There was one player that wasn't worried about much and not stressed out. It was him."
Demidov said he didn't feel much pressure until the crowd's reception during warm-up.
Fans at the Bell Centre — with dozens holding signs around the glass — erupted when he stepped onto the ice for his rookie lap.
"I guess I'm nervous and just trying to skate without crossovers or something like that, because the crowd was so amazing," he said.
"Do you know like exam in school? But it's the main exam in my life."
All eyes on the Blue Jackets
Demidov played on Montreal's third line alongside centre Newhook and winger Joel Armia. He also featured on the team's second power-play unit.
His 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 signed an entry-level contract last Tuesday after he was suddenly released by SKA more than a month before his KHL contract ran out.
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 the Canadiens GM 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," Hughes said of meeting with the SKA organization.
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.
Demidov's entry into the lineup comes at a time of high stakes for Montreal.
After Monday's loss, the Canadiens have 89 points, four more than the Columbus Blue Jackets with one game remaining Wednesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Blue Jackets — the only other team still in the wild-card hunt — 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 post-season with a first-round series against the Washington Capitals.