Ivan Demidov is happy to face off against Alex Ovechkin — but more importantly, he desires to win.
The 19-year-old Russian is targeted on helping the Montreal Canadiens upset the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the primary round of the NHL playoffs.
“Yeah, a bit bit,” Demidov said when asked if facing the Capitals captain — and Russian legend — added significance to the series, starting Monday in Washington. “But now I just wish to help my team win.
“The Habs are a great team, and I just wish to help. I need to bring energy.”
To this point, he has done just that.
Chosen fifth overall on the 2024 draft, Demidov has energized the Canadiens fan base since — and well before — arriving in Montreal from Russia’s KHL a bit greater than every week ago.
Demidov routinely lit up social media feeds with highlight-reel plays while setting a KHL under-20 scoring record for SKA Saint Petersburg this season.
He lived as much as the hype in his NHL debut, dishing a slick assist before scoring a spectacular first NHL goal in the primary period of Montreal’s shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks last Monday.
“Really bleeping good,” was winger Cole Caufield’s scouting report. “His drive, his compete level, obviously his skating and puck handling have been really fun to look at.”
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“He’s so expert and he’s got a lot talent. I’m sure he’s gonna improve every game,” added defenceman Kaiden Guhle. “It’s definitely a bit that I’m not gonna complain about.”
Demidov had a quieter night in his second NHL game, however the shifty and poised winger still showed no sign of nervousness in Wednesday’s playoff-clinching win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Martin St. Louis continues to be determining the total extent of how he’ll use Demidov’s top-shelf talent just two games into his NHL profession, but the chances are intriguing for the Canadiens head coach.
“You see his touches and his change of direction, it’s really dynamic,” St. Louis said. “I knew he had that, but perhaps not at this level.
“He gets here at the top of the season and he’s in a position to create separation in space, it’s special.”
Demidov has skated on the Canadiens’ second scoring line alongside Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine while taking reps on Montreal’s second power-play unit, which practised Saturday at CN Sports Complex.
And St. Louis hinted that a promotion to the highest unit might be in store eventually. The Canadiens have only one power-play goal — a fortunate bounce off Juraj Slafkovsky’s skate — of their last 20 attempts.
“I actually have a bunch of cards I can use,” he said. “We got Demidov now, it’s a brand new card. I don’t know exactly how I’m gonna use all these cards, but we now have plenty.”
Ovechkin said he’s looking forward to meeting the Russian teenager on the ice.
“It’s going to be an interesting matchup. Obviously he’s a talented guy,” said Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky’s record to change into the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer on April 6.
Demidov said he looked as much as Ovechkin during his childhood, but his true idol was Evgeni Malkin.
The legendary Pittsburgh Penguins centre inspired Demidov together with his dominant 2011-12 season, when Malkin led the league in scoring with 109 points in 75 games and swept the NHL awards.
“Malkin was awesome,” Demidov said.
Laine, meanwhile, grew up a Capitals fan due to Ovechkin and modelled his game after the Great Eight. But that’s the very last thing on his mind heading into the series.
“Doesn’t matter,” Laine said bluntly. “Couldn’t care less.”
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