Canadiens Vice President of Hockey Operations Makes Bold Declaration on Ivan Demidov Joining the Team

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Tom Banks
October 17, 2024 (1:42 PM)

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Ivan Demidov is one of the most hyped prospects in the NHL, and now a top Montreal Canadiens executive has revealed when he may join the team.

The Montreal Canadiens drafted Ivan Demidov with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and it's safe to say that fans have quickly hyped him as one of the best prospects in the entire NHL. However, they still have a wait to see him on the ice for their team, as he is currently in the KHL with Ska St. Petersburg, with some frustration brewing over his position in the teams lineup. Now, Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton has been interviewed by RDS, and during that interview, he was asked about the possibility of the 18-year old joining the National Hockey League at some point this season.

"We are in contact with his team over there, and we obviously would like him to play much more. It's a situation beyond our control and can be frustrating, but we are satisfied with his performance when he gets the ice time he deserves."

When asked if we could see Ivan in Montreal this year, Jeff responded:

"Due to the relationship between the NHL and the KHL, we have to respect his contract over there. He has only one year left on his contract with SKA. We will be patient with him and look forward to seeing him in Montreal."

Unfortunately for those excited fans, Gorton confirms it won't happen this season, as Demidov is still under contract with Ska St. Petersburg in the KHL, revealing that it's the final year of the deal, seemingly hinting that he could arrive in the NHL next season.

While Gorton wouldn't say that Demidov will be here 100% for the 2025/26 season, given the young team that Montreal is putting on the ice, it would make sense if they could add a talented 18-year old winger to an already impressive group as they look to complete what has been a solid rebuild thus far. In 16 games in the KHL this season, the former No. 5 overall pick has tallied 5 goals and 9 points, while being relegated to the fourth line for plenty of the season, but with his production and his overall skillset, it's easy to see why Canadiens fans are excited about his potential arrival.

According to a recent report, Demidov's KHL team are trying to convince him to stay in Russia longer, so at this point his future is very unclear. With the promise of a big stage and a young team that will see him as a critical part of the future, it's likely that Demidov makes the jump for 2024/25, but at this point, absolutely anything could happen.