Canadiens’ Slafkovsky Finds New Gear to Game with Demidov

First, Slafkovsky wired a shot past goalie Jonas Johansson, a career backup the Canadiens seems insistent on making look like a Vezina Trophy winner, to make it 4-2, before eventually notching the game-tying goal with mere seconds left. You obviously have to give some credit to Demidov for the no-look feed, but, similarly, Slafkovsky fed the former behind his back on the goal that got it started, which speaks further to the chemistry the two continue to show since the hopefully stars in the making were reunited on the same line, coincidentally after their previous loss to the Lightning on Dec. 9.

That game, a 6-1 loss, obviously turned out a great deal differently, but there were a lot of similarities heading in, including the fact Johansson got the start. While Andrei Vasilevskiy had been injured at the time of that last game, he had simply gotten the start the night before here. The Lightning had also played the night before when both sides had met earlier this month, having been victimized for back-to-back shutouts and four straight losses before having been awakened as the arguable sleeping giants they are against the Canadiens.

Canadiens Exit Christmas Break on Right Foot Despite Loss

The thing is, in that 6-1 loss, just like in this 5-4 shootout defeat, the Canadiens started out well enough, only for the Lightning to open the scoring on a breakaway and then capitalize on all the Habs’ mistakes en route to putting the game out of reach. For a long while, despite a better overall effort from the visiting Habs, it at least looked like they were doomed to suffer the same fate, which would have been disastrous for several reasons, like how well-rested they were compared to the Lightning (again), how tight the race in the Atlantic is and how the Habs suddenly find themselves in a pre-Olympics stretch of 20 games in 39 games.

As had been argued ahead of the game, this was one the Canadiens couldn’t let slip past through their fingers. And, even though they ultimately lost, Habs fans probably feel as though they escaped with a renewed sense of optimism in the team’s chances to gradually transform into a contender based on the young talent they have at their disposal, Slafkovsky and Demidov obviously included.

For example, since rejoining the Demidov line, Slafkovsky has four goals and 12 points (nine games). You may logically deduce Demidov, who currently leads the Calder Memorial Trophy race with 32 points (to Slafkovsky’s 28), is leading the charge there, but, in truth, the Russian rookie has “just” nine points in that span.

Slafkovsky Outpaces Suzuki

The smoking gun regarding how well Slafkovsky has been performing is how he’s also outpaced Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, his ex-linemates, in that span too. Granted, it’s a small sample size and Suzuki still has the same still-impressive nine points as Demidov (Caufield six), but, whether Suzuki continues to play injured (from ‘Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki battles injury, but soldiers on,” Montreal Gazette, Nov. 20, 2025), as is widely believed, or not, the point is Slafkovsky is producing away from the team’s top two offensive stars to give the team two top offensive lines.

Before head coach Martin St. Louis “dropped” Slafkovsky down the lineup, opposing teams really just had to worry one and a third lines, as Demidov by all reasonable accounts had been carrying the second, all due respect to centre Oliver Kapanen. Obviously Kapanen, who co-leads all rookies with 11 goals, is something of a threat, even having assisted on Slafkovsky’s 4-2 marker last night. However, there are degrees to which that can be true. Look to Slafkovsky himself as an example.

Up until recently, Slafkovsky had been seen as a complementary piece on the top line instead of the one driving the bus. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, especially taking into account his 21 years of age. However, there had been higher hopes for a first-overall draft pick, even if he was far from projected to be a generational talent in a relatively weak 2022 draft class. Regardless, opponents still had to respect his size and 20-goal potential on that line… which all of a sudden is now more like 30, with his 13 markers in 38 games, putting him on pace for 28 (60 points).

Slafkovsky in Spotlight

Whereas before Slafkovsky was still contributing despite apparent criticism to the contrary, now he’s doing so in the spotlight. By all appearances, based on his recent production, on the regular or in the clutch, playmaking and overall play he is coming into his own, in the sense he’s proving he can stand on his own.

Small sample size or not, if you take away Slafkovsky’s widely celebrated having-arrived party against the Lightning, whether that ends up being the case or not, he still has Suzuki’s nine points in that same span. In other words, this is more than a single game. These are arguably signs of a larger trend which shows a capacity on his part to change the complexion of a game.

A top-six forward certainly, but you rarely got the sense Slafkovsky was going to turn into a game-breaking talent before. Now it’s at least a distinct possibility as you’ve seen him do it with your own eyes. And, if it does come to pass on a consistent basis, the Canadiens become a more complete team, rife with talent like that across the lineup. That’s something worth celebrating, even after a loss, as it’s one they could have won had one bounce gone their way. A few weeks ago that clearly wasn’t the case.

That’s progression… or, in Slafkovsky’s case, development. And it’s very much welcome.