Canadiens' Prospect Psyched to Play With Friend

Zharovsky had reportedly been on the team's radar for some time, as Canadiens management confirmed that they had visited with Zharovsky and his camp during their visits on Russian soil to visit 2024 fifth overall selection Ivan Demidov.

The Gold Star camp, dedicated to showcasing the top Russian prospects, also had a couple members of the Canadiens' management in attendance. Obviously, in retrospect, they were there to watch Zharovsky. The Klin, Russia prospect was their guy all along, and amazingly, nobody knew. He fell right into Hughes' hands.

It was revealed after the draft that Demidov and Zharovsky are good friends, and the 18-year-old looks forward to playing on a line with the Canadiens candidate for the 2025 Calder Memorial Trophy. Together, Demidov and Zharovsky could be magic for the Canadiens.

Hughes must be thrilled at the idea that the two Russians could come together and be a problem for the league for the next 15-20 years.

The confidence that Zharovsky exudes with those comments is considerably high, much like his potential. The Canadiens' swing on him is indicative of confidence in that potential, and this guy could be one of the diamonds of the entire draft.

Demidov knew this all along, and it's safe to say that Zharovsky will have a couch to sleep on when he comes to Montreal.

Hours of highlights on YouTube indicate that the Canadiens took a swing on a guy that has some of the best puck handles in the draft class, and a lethal combination of vision and awareness that he pairs with killer offensive zone instincts to manipulate defenders and create beautiful displays of circus-style passes.

Set to play another season in the Russian MHL for Tolpar UFA, Zharovsky could stand to add 15-20 pounds of muscle to his six-foot-one, 164-pound frame. It's less that he isn't strong, and more that he can elevate his already dynamic skillset to another level with some added brawn, which will serve him especially well in a top-six NHL role down the road.

Visa issues dampened any plans of Hughes' coveted top prospect attending development camp, slated for July 1-3 at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, Quebec. This will only heighten the excitement preceding his eventual arrival in Montreal down the road.

Zharovsky will look to follow up his 24-goal, 26-assist rookie season with a standout sophomore year, in the biggest year of Zharovsky's career, and also the one that will be most viewed by North American hockey fans.