Canadiens’ Demidov Can Win the 2026 Calder Trophy

Before he joined the Canadiens for the final two regular-season games, the young Russian forward set rookie and under-20 scoring records in the KHL while leading SKA St Petersburg in regular-season points with 19 goals and 49 points in 65 games. He did it all while averaging only 13:21 of ice time per game. He followed that up by leading his club in goals and points in the playoffs with three goals and five points in six games. The 19-year-old forward is poised to become a game-changing star for the Canadiens, something the franchise’s fan base has been clamouring for. 

After years of rebuilding, a change in expectations for the Canadiens awaits them next season. This pressure shouldn’t be focused on Demidov yet. While great things are projected for the young man, he is not expected to become a superstar right away, but he has the potential to make a significant contribution that will allow the club to take that next step. Because of that, there will be a lot of pressure on him.

Training in Montreal 

There is no denying it, Demidov is a highly skilled player who has the potential to change the fate of a franchise. He could have returned to Russia, accepted his accolades in person, celebrated at home and taken a victory lap for how his season went. Instead, he chose to focus on remaining in Montreal and taking advantage of the Canadiens’ staff and facilities to concentrate on his training to prepare for the challenges he will face when he makes the transition to the NHL full-time and will be a target for opposing defences. But part of playing in Montreal is navigating the culture, language, and spotlight placed on him by the fanbase and media. 

The focus of the Canadiens’ development plan is, like other teams, skills-based, but there is a larger component that is a major focus for the club: how hard individual players compete, how they react to adversity, and the speed in their decision-making. This is seen in their choices at the draft table, selecting players who want the challenge of the Montreal market. Demidov spoke of this during his interviews with the Canadiens, as he told them that he wants the challenge. Player development isn’t just working on training, nutrition, or skills, it is also a focus on mental fortitude. In a market like Montreal, it is important to train the mind and psyche to handle personal growth, but also the ability to avoid distractions. To help with that, they have a mental skills coach, Jean-François Ménard, on staff to address this vital aspect of development. This asset is not kept just for NHL players; its American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate players have access to all of the same development coaches as the Canadiens skaters do.   

This is why Demidov’s choice to remain reveals his character. A source close to him shared with RG.org that “Ivan has already grown fond of Montreal and wants to get to know the city, its culture, and its people better, which is why he chose to spend the summer here”. Skill alone will not get you to the NHL and allow you to become an impactful player. It’s the self-awareness of what challenges lie ahead. It’s the ability to self-examine your own game honestly and work on deficiencies. But most of all, it is his focus and dogged work ethic that will allow him to get there. 

At only 19 years old, Demidov has shown a high degree of maturity. He can focus on his training, with support from the team, learn the languages, and acclimate to the new culture and surroundings, making his adjustments during training instead of mid-season. Some may say, so what? Anyone can do that. Why is Demidov being singled out? Well, he shares some significant attributes with the NHL’s elite players. The first, natural talent, Demidov could be a top-line forward and has the potential of being a 100-point player. The last time a Canadiens’ skater scored 100 points or more was the 1985-86 season (nearly 40 years ago) when Mats Naslund recorded 110 points.

Secondly, Demidov has a clear love of the game. No one dedicates that much time to training such finite points in their own game as someone who loves it. Because of this, he is open to being coached, provided constructive criticism and to adjust his game. We saw it in the KHL when his head coach stressed the defensive game, and Demidov adjusted himself accordingly to gain more ice time. That’s a quality seen in the best players today: Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and others. Not to compare Demidov to that tier of player, but he shares those attributes. 

Finally, it’s his work ethic that allows him to tie all of those intangibles together. To become elite, or at the very least strive to become elite, players need to put in the work day in and day out for years. They need to work on themselves consistently, being willing to shoot 500 pucks, or work on retrieving pucks along the boards, protecting the puck on punch turns to develop escapability, and on and on and on. Doing this will cement these habits and make him not only capable of playing against the best players in the world, but thriving as well. 

The work ethic of an athlete is a viable indicator of how successful they can be and how long they can maintain their success, and what Demidov is demonstrating gives hope that Montreal has found their cornerstone player. Hughes and the management group have to focus on managing the development windows of all the core players to ensure they can provide their top performances during the same few seasons that a championship window is open. They also have to manage the salary cap properly to keep that same core together for a long period. This summer, thanks to the development of the core so far and the addition of Demidov, is where fans can mark the beginning of the process of the Canadiens opening their competitive window.