Ivan Demidov’s next step in Montreal won’t be about chasing a bigger spotlight. It’ll be about finding the right fit.
The Canadiens have already locked in their young forward for the long haul, and that matters after the uncertainty that followed Montreal’s run to the Eastern Conference Final last season. Demidov, a Calder Trophy finalist in 2025-26, was entering the final year of his three-year entry-level deal, and there were obvious questions about whether he wanted to stay and when a new contract might get done.
He answered those concerns plainly during his final media session of the season on June 1.
“I like the city. I like this team.
I like all our boys and the management of the organization is pretty good. I want to stay here,” Demidov said during that media availability on June 1.
“It’s a team who’s going to win not only one Cup, (but) a couple more. That’s my expectation. It’s what I see in this team,” he later added.
A month later, Demidov and his agent put that belief on paper, agreeing to an eight-year, $73.2 million contract with the Canadiens. It was a major price tag for Kent Hughes, but after Demidov posted 62 points in 82 games as a rookie and added nine more in the playoffs, Montreal clearly decided the cost was worth it.
Now comes the part that really matters: helping him keep climbing in 2026-27.
One place Montreal should resist the urge to go is the top line. Demidov has already shown he can lift the players around him.
Last season, that showed up with Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen. Newhook finished the playoffs with a career-high 10 points by the time the Canadiens were eliminated, while Kapanen broke through with 37 points in his first full NHL season after managing just two in 18 games the year before.
That kind of impact is exactly why Demidov doesn’t need to be parked next to Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield right now. Those are the spots for more established scorers. Demidov’s value at this stage is in driving a different line and making that group better.
The bigger question may be who Montreal puts beside him. Martin St.
Louis could use the offseason additions to shape a better fit around Demidov, and Kirby Dach stands out as one possibility after re-signing on a one-year deal this summer. A healthy Dach could be a strong center option for a second line with Demidov, even with the injury history that has followed him through his seven-year NHL career.
Alexandre Texier and Jake Evans are also in the mix for centre or wing duty, while newly acquired winger Brett Berard could factor in too. Berard’s limited NHL experience makes him more likely to settle into a bottom-six role in 2026-27, but he remains part of the conversation.
Demidov also has something no offseason signing can give him: a full year of NHL experience. He learned the difference between the regular season and the playoffs the hard way, and that lesson should make him more composed this time around.
He saw the pace. He felt the physicality.
He’s already been through the roller coaster once.
That doesn’t mean the next leap will be immediate. Being picked fifth overall doesn’t guarantee a second-year explosion, and Montreal has never been in the habit of rushing its young players. Demidov won’t be treated any differently.
The upside is still obvious, but the path to it is going to take time. With eight years on his contract, he has room to grow into the player Montreal believes he can become. For now, the Canadiens just need to put him in the right spots and let the game keep opening up for him.
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