We now know when Ivan Demidov will join the Montreal Canadiens

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Jim Sullivan
November 20, 2024 (10:01)

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A new development regarding the potential arrival of Ivan Demidov with the Montreal Canadiens has just been announced within the last few hours.

If many fans were hoping that the young Russian prodigy could play a few games with the Habs at the end of the season, as was the case with Lane Hutson last year, the new information reported by Marco D'Amico is not very encouraging.

According to a well-informed source on the subject, the chances of seeing Demidov in Montreal this year are practically non-existent. According to him, unless there is a major turnaround involving the head coach of SKA St. Petersburg, the CH hopeful will have to stay in Russia.

In fact, the only scenario that will allow Ivan Demidov to play games with the Habs is if Roman Rotenberg agrees to end his contract in the KHL, which unfortunately should not happen.

"Montreal could sign Ivan this season only if SKA agrees to terminate his contract at the end of the KHL season or earlier by mutual consent, in order to retain his rights, and allow Ivan to sign with the Canadiens before they play their last game of the season." - Anonymous source

Furthermore, in no way improving the chances of seeing number 91 in the Habs' uniform, the KHL has decided to extend its calendar, pushing back the end of the season, on a contractual basis, from May 1st to May 31st.

Unless Rotenberg does the Montreal Canadiens a favor, this means that Martin St. Louis' men will potentially have to go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final for Ivan Demidov to join the roster.

"If Montreal still makes the playoffs on June 1 [the date the final usually begins], the Canadiens will be able to sign Demidov for the 2024-25 season and burn a year of his entry-level contract." - Anonymous source

No need to say, such an eventuality seems very unlikely!

The chances of seeing Demidov with the Habs this year therefore rest on the will of Rotenberg, the same coach who nailed the Canadiens' hopeful to the bench for nearly a month when he refused to sign a contract extension with SKA St. Petersburg.

"Montreal will not convince the SKA. Demidov has a valid contract. Everyone understands that Rotenberg will not let him leave early. No one is under any illusions. No one is asking for anything. No one is trying to persuade anyone. » - Anonymous source

We will therefore have to remain patient and wait until the 2025-2026 season before the fifth overall pick in the 2024 draft officially makes the jump to North America.

In his first season in the KHL, the 18-year-old forward, who is often compared to Nikita Kucherov or Kirill Kaprizov, recorded 6 goals and 14 assists (20 points) in 29 games with SKA St. Petersburg.