Demidov Finally Breaks Out for the Canadiens

There’s been this quiet buzz building around Ivan Demidov lately — the kind you almost feel before you actually see it. Every shift, he looks like something is about to happen. Skating hard, jumping into soft spots, firing pucks, creating chances out of nothing… all of it was there. The only thing missing was the goal.

In the Canadiens’ 6-3 win over the Sabres, Demidov finally scored.

Against Buffalo, that finally changed. But, in reality, it wasn’t a surprise. At least every panel member of Hockey Night in Canada predicted as much. It was coming, and it finally did.

All night, he was involved. Three shots on goal, a couple of other looks that had fans half out of their seats, and at least one sequence where you’re pretty sure the goalie stole one just to keep things interesting. It wasn’t a “maybe he gets one eventually” kind of night. It was constant pressure, constant movement, constant “he’s close.”

Demidov never changed his game, even when he didn't score.

What’s stood out during the stretch where he wasn’t scoring is that he hasn’t changed his game at all. That’s not always the case with young players. Some of them start squeezing the stick, playing safer, looking for the perfect play. Demidov hasn’t done that. He’s still playing fast, still attacking, still trying to make things happen every time he’s on the ice. That kind of confidence doesn’t get coached in — it just shows up.

Montreal also seems to be handling him the right way. He’s getting looks in good areas, the puck keeps landing on his stick in dangerous spots, and you can tell his linemates are actively trying to get him going. When that kind of volume keeps building, goals usually follow sooner or later. You could almost feel it coming before it happened — like everyone in the building was just waiting for the release.

When Demidov finally did score, his teammates erupted with him.

And when it finally went in during the 6–3 win over Buffalo, the reaction said everything. The bench lit up. Smiles, taps, guys leaning over the boards to celebrate with him. It wasn’t just a “nice goal” moment. It felt like a group genuinely happy for one of their own.

That’s been a bit of a theme with this Habs group, too. There’s a real sense they’re pulling in the same direction. You see it in how they celebrate, how they support each other, how quickly they jump on the ice for a teammate.

In a post-game interview, Demidov talked about how his teammates are supporting him.

Demidov even talked about how much support he’s getting from guys like Lane Hutson, and you can see that connection building shift by shift. Those two together feel like something the team can actually grow around.

So, Demidov finally got his moment. And the way he’s playing, it probably won’t be the last one for long.