The Montreal Canadiens have added the latest piece to their young core.
Montreal selected Russian forward Ivan Demidov with the fifth-overall pick in Friday night’s draft. To make matters even better for the Canadiens and the 18-year-old, legendary singer Celine Dion announced the selection.
Playing SKA-1946 of the Russian Junior Hockey League (MHL), Demidov scored 23 points and 60 points in 30 games, the highest points per game total of any MHL player in their draft-eligible season. Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov held the previous record at 1.41 points per game before being drafted in 2011.
Demidov has one year remaining on his KHL contract with St. Petersburg SKA, but a longtime Russian hockey executive and scout confirmed to Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler that the five-foot-11 forward “is committed to honouring [his] contract and coming to North America after it expires.”
While many had not been able to see Demidov play in person, he is touted as one of the most talented players in this draft.
Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala had the left-shot winger ranked as the No. 2 player available.
“A top-line prospect who plays with pace and skill. His hockey sense is off the charts offensively, but he’s also the kind of player who extends plays along the boards and drives to the crease,” Bukala said of Demidov.
The Canadiens finished 15th in the Eastern Conference in 2023-24, posting a 30-36-16 record.
The 2024 draft marked the second straight year that Montreal picked fifth overall. Last year, they picked Austrian defenceman David Reinbacher with the No. 5 pick. This was also the third straight year the Canadiens have picked in the top five after selecting forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the top pick in 2022.
