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The Montreal Canadiens Draft Ivan Demidov 5th Overall

Originally posted on Montreal Hockey Now | By Marc Dumont | Last updated Jun 28, 2024 7:59 PM ET

It’s official, the Montreal Canadiens have selected forward Ivan Demidov with the fifth overall pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

The incredibly talented winger is considered the second-most talented player available in the 2024 draft class, owing to his elite offensive instincts, his fantastic shot, and his high-end creativity.

Demidov was ranked second in many pre-draft rankings, but the usual worries about the ‘Russian factor’ came into play, which gave the Habs an opportunity to draft a player who should have been off the board by the time they took to the podium. It’s worth noting that despite the criticism sent their way, no top Russian prospect has ever failed to report to their draft team. On the other hand, prospects drafted out of the NCAA have forced trades on several occasions in the last few years.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Canadiens Hit Home run with Ivan Demidov Pick

The 18-year-old right-winger spent his season with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg in the MHL, the Russian equivalent to the Canadian Hockey League. It was clear from the get-go that he was probably a little too talented for the league, as he scored 23 goals and 37 assists in just 30 games. He also enjoyed a fantastic run in the playoffs, earning 11 goals and 17 assists in 11 games.

Simply put, Ivan Demidov immediately becomes the top player in the Canadiens’ prospect pool, adding an important element to the equation that was desperately needed: elite talent.

Montreal Canadiens Draft Pick Information And Pre-Draft Trades

The Montreal Canadiens own 10 draft picks in the 2024 NHL Draft: 5th Overall, 21st overall (via Los Angeles), 70th overall, 78th overall (via Minnesota), 102nd overall, 130th overall (via San Jose), 134th overall, 166th overall, 210th overall (via Washington) and 224th overall (via Edmonton).

Heading into the draft the team owned 12 picks, but they swung a pre-draft trade with the Los Angeles Kings to improve their draft position. Montreal exchanged the 26th overall pick (via Winnipeg), the 57th overall pick (via Colorado) and the 198th overall pick for the 21st overall pick. Seeing as the Habs already own an impressive prospect pool, as well as plenty of draft capital, it’s the type of trade that fans were hoping to see prior to the draft taking place. Simply put, it’s a matter of focusing on quality over quantity for the Canadiens, both for picks and prospects.

If you would like to learn more about the state of the Montreal Canadiens rebuild we invite you to take a look at our ‘State Of The Rebuild‘ series which was published following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.

This article first appeared on Montreal Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.

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