Ivan Demidov has had Montreal Canadiens fans buzzing from the moment he was drafted, and through his first 84 career games, he hasn’t let them down.
The Russian winger was the runner-up to Matthew Schaefer for the Calder Trophy last season and flashed glimpses of greatness during Montreal’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
His skillset and potential have had the Canadiens and their fans excited for years, and it’s not just them projecting big things from Demidov. Pittsburgh Penguins legend Kris Letang also has high expectations for the 2024 fifth-overall pick, which includes him emerging as close to a top-five player in the league in the coming years.
“I told my son because we talk about hockey stuff and I said you give him 3 years and I think he’s gonna be close to the top 5 in the league. That’s in my opinion. I mean assuming that he stays healthy and he has a good development and everything …. That’s where I see him,”
The 20-year-old Demidov signed an eight-year, $73.2 million extension to stay in Montreal this summer. He produced 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in his first full 82-game NHL regular season in 2025-26.
Becoming a top-five player in the world is certainly a lofty goal, but there’s a reason Demidov has drawn so much hype, and it’s because he has the talent and upside to do it.
Hearing a three-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the better defensemen of this generation have such praise for him only further demonstrates the respect Demidov already has from his peers around the league.
If Demidov is able to reach anything close to those heights, then his $9.15 million AAV through 2034-35 will be an absolute steal, especially in this new rising-cap environment.
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