Ivan Demidov is also an important part of Montreal’s elite power forward formation, which is among the best in the NHL.
The Canadiens showed their strength in numerical advantage in the first game of the 2nd round of the playoffs on the ice of Buffalo. Demidov blindly found Juraj Slafkovski, who drew a millimeter assist to a free Nick Suzuki, and he had no problem scoring.
Although the Canadian club managed to reduce the score to 1:2 thanks to the consolation action, it was not enough for a perfect turnaround. The Sabers took home-ice advantage, triumphing 4-2 and taking the lead in the series.
The second game of the closely watched Eastern Conference semifinals is scheduled for Saturday night again in Buffalo, and the Canadiens know they have to perform better. This also applies to Demidov, who is still waiting for his first “playoff” goal in his career.
“I know that I can play better. This applies not only to me, but also to the whole team. We had a lot of exclusions, we paid for it. We have to be more disciplined,” says Demidov.
The Russian youngster, to whom many experts predict a stellar career, is under considerable pressure. In the regular season, he was among the best freshmen and it is no coincidence that he is nominated for the Calder Trophy for the top rookie.
However, in the eight games the Canadiens have played in the current playoffs, he has only two assists.
However, the creative forward does not make a big deal out of it. He is aware of his qualities, because from a young age he was used to the fact that people had high expectations of him, which sooner or later he fulfilled.
A rough childhood
Everything that makes Demidov an exceptional hockey player is the result of a decision that his father Alexej and mother Olga made thirteen years ago, which changed all of their lives.
The parents quickly understood that their sons Ivan and Semjon, three years older, were gifted with great hockey talent. Therefore, they made a decision that the average family living in the Russian countryside cannot afford.
“I worked as a truck driver and my wife in a clothing store. We had two smaller apartments available, we inherited them. In order for my boys to be on the ice as often as possible, I quit my job. We sold one of the apartments and I started to devote myself to my sons full-time,” recalls Alexej Demidov in an interview with The Athletic.
Photo: TASR/AP, Christine Muschi
demids Russia clash in the NHL playoffs: Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
He provided transport for the boys so that they could catch as many training sessions as possible. Their daily routine then resembled the program of professional hockey players at famous Russian bases. Both parents served as strict coaches.
“My father is the type of person who, once he starts doing something, he won’t let you rest until he finishes it,” describes the Montreal forward. “My mom was also obsessed with me and my brother playing hockey. We were doing well, so she tried to help us with everything related to hockey,” he adds.
When a future hockey player grows up overseas, he often plays other sports as a child. American football, athletics, basketball or volleyball – different disciplines will give him room to improve different physical parameters.
However, Ivan Demidov’s life was exclusively about hockey from an early age. If he didn’t go to school, didn’t eat and didn’t sleep, he wore skates and held a hockey stick in his hand.
“It’s going to sound crazy, but I didn’t want to do anything else. I woke up in the morning, my father took us to the first practice. I spent a few hours at school, then had lunch and another practice.
I came home, did my homework, and then my father and brother and I went to private training. We mostly had it at the outdoor ice rink, the lights went out at ten and we stayed there until the end,” he describes his training routine.
Stubborn Russians
His first club was the Viťazu Podolsk youth academy, where he was scouted by representatives of the famous SKA St. Petersburg. As an 18-year-old, he had 19 goals, 30 assists in 65 games and was among the team’s most productive players.
In the summer of 2024, Montreal chose him in the NHL draft as their unit from the fifth place.
However, the heads of SKA, who are closely connected with the structures of the gas company Gazprom and several of them are on the European Union’s sanctions lists for cooperation with the regime of Vladimir Putin, did not want to lose the young star.
Everything changed after the Canadiens’ key men arrived in St. Petersburg – general manager Kent Hughes, head of scouting Nick Bobrov and special adviser, former elite forward Vincent Lecavalier. This trio convinced the stubborn Russians that Montreal would be the ideal place for Demidov for his further development.
The young attacker was thus given the opportunity to try out the NHL already at the end of the previous year. Canadian journalist Erik Leijon, who covers hockey for the respected Montreal Gazette, told us in an interview at the time that it was a big surprise for Canadiens fans.
“The whole city was shocked by how the Russians decided and allowed Demidov to join the Canadiens already this season. Everyone expected it to happen from next season,” Leijon said last year.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis used the young Russian in important matches despite the fact that the celebrated forward had no experience with the narrower overseas ice.
“It took him a few games to show that he was not by chance one of the best players in the KHL. He definitely has what it takes to play in Montreal in the first two attacks. I’m not saying that right now, but definitely from next season. I’m sure they’ll play together with Slafkovský,” Leijon predicted last year and he was right.
A chance for a trophy
Slovakian-Russian cooperation worked this season during and outside of overtime. At the end of the year, coach St. Louis divided the elite first attack and placed Slafkovski right next to Demidov and Finnish center Oliver Kapanen.
The three young men were only 63 years old at the time, and experts pointed out that such a composition is definitely not common overseas. If two players in the formation are inexperienced, coaches usually assign them an older, more seasoned teammate. But St. Louis confirmed again that he likes to swim against the current.
“I am the most experienced in the formation with Ivan and Oliver, which is quite funny at the age of 21. This also shows what a young team we have. I take the mixing of formations positively. It is good to change the routine from time to time and play in attack with other boys,” said Slafkovský in January.
He praised the cooperation with 20-year-old Demidov and 22-year-old Kapanen. He and the Russian were mainly concerned about the attack, the Finnish center paid more attention to the defense.
“Ivan is a technically well-equipped player and an excellent offensive hockey player. He is excellent on the puck and can create a lot. Oliver is responsible defensively, which is great for us,” responded Košičan.
After the February Olympics in St. Louis once again placed Slafkovski among the elite pair of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
Demidov looked for a while after his Slovakian friend was reassigned, but it didn’t take long before he started his offensive cylinder at full speed again. The result was 19 goals, 43 assists and first place in rookie productivity.
His opponents in the fight for the Calder trophy are New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke. However, the Russian forward has his priorities clearly set.
“Of course, the award for the best rookie would make me happy, but I’m not thinking about that right now. I want to do my best so that we can go as far as possible in the NHL playoffs. Team success is more than any individual trophy. My parents taught me that too, to whom I owe who I am now,” Demidov responds.
