At the end of the season, we got a taste of Ivan Demidov with the Canadiens. The talented young Russian forward only played a handful of games in Montreal, but already we could see the talent coming out of his ears.
He wasn’t quite ready for the NHL, and that’s perfectly normal. But having had a taste of it, he’s better prepared for the season ahead.
That said, in 2025-26, Demidov will spend the entire season in Montreal. We’ll have the chance to see him shine for 82 games… and, above all, to see just how much he has the potential to change everything in Montreal.
Because yes, Demidov has that kind of potential. And in a text on the NHL website, where they present the players most likely to explode in 2025-26, Mike Morreale names Demidov and adds this about him:
Some see [Ivan Demidov] becoming the next Nikita Kucherov. – Mike Morreale
NHL writer Mike Morreale on Ivan Demidov:
“He’s a player who wants the puck, thrives on the challenges to generate scoring chances and possesses elite skills and attributes.”
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) July 14, 2025
Kucherov is unquestionably one of the NHL’s best forwards, with 113, 144 and 121 points respectively in his last three seasons. He’s one of the best playmakers of his generation and has an almost unrivalled offensive flair.
He’s almost indisputably one of the top five forwards on the Bettman circuit, after all.
And that just goes to show how much potential Demidov has as a young player. There are ways for him to have a great career without necessarily becoming as dominant as Kucherov, but he has the potential to become that kind of player.
It’s not for nothing that he’s the stuff of dreams in Montreal, after all.
In the same article, Zachary Bolduc is also mentioned as a player who could explode in 2025-26. Shawn P. Roarke, who chatted about Bolduc, sees him taking a step forward into a bigger role in Montreal.
He wouldn’t be surprised to see him reach the 25-goal plateau.
So, there’s reason to be excited about Montreal’s young group of forwards, but Demidov will undoubtedly be the most talked-about guy in the coming months. He’s a special talent the likes of which the Canadiens have rarely seen in recent years.
And if he reaches the level of a Nikita Kucherov, the Habs will really, really be on the road.
– Speaking of the wolf.
McGuire – Demidov would definitely be part of my second line. https://t.co/qheB4fFkCW
– TSN 690 Montreal (@TSN690) July 14, 2025
– Another big name to watch at the next draft.
Elliotte Friedman: I had a couple people tell me you should start mentioning Keaton Verhoeff in the same breath as Gavin McKenna [2026 NHL draft prospects] – 32 Thoughts Podcast
– NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 14, 2025
– Nice photo.
Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield & Lane Hutson at a Bauer Hockey photoshoot in Boston
pic.twitter.com/stnoRurmma
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) July 14, 2025
– Ah.
That would be what a Saputo would have said to the players after last Wednesday’s game
https://t.co/lXaowDZ7 iq
– Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) July 14, 2025
– Too bad for Montreal.
It’s the new owners’ wish. https://t.co/gWp9nGjFC0
– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) July 14, 2025
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