It’s official—Ivan Demidov will finally join the Montreal Canadiens on a three-year entry-level contract. His deal with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg was subsequently terminated to allow him to come to Montreal.

Although the initial thought was that Demidov would stay in Russia and play for SKA’s junior team in the VHL, it appears he would rather make the jump to the NHL.

Although he will make his NHL debut within the final few games of Montreal’s season, let’s look at what he adds to the lineup.

Much needed scoring talent

Although Montreal beefed up their offense with the likes of Patrik Laine, Lane Hutson and the improvements from Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, Montreal’s scoring was still missing something.

It was still missing that elite talent to really set the team on their own path. Montreal has a history of incredible scoring and offensive talent (see: Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur, etc.) but have had two 80-plus point scorers since 2008 (Nick Suzuki and Alex Kovalev).

Although a full and healthy season of Patrik Laine would improve the statistics, the Canadiens have four players above 20 goals this season. Cole Caufield has notched 37 goals so far, with Nick Suzuki taking second place with 27. In my opinion, Montreal needs another dynamic player with the star power of Lane Hutson or Nick Suzuki to propel the team to the next level.

In the second-highest tier of major league hockey, Demidov put up a team-leading 49 points (19g 30a) while putting up highlight reels that scare fans for the next decade in the NHL. Demidov’s stats this season were leading the team in points, and he finished his season at 27th in the overall points standings. Also, the KHL’s points leader this season is Josh Leivo. He has 80 points in 62 games.

An interesting point to note to summarize Demidov’s eventual importance to the Habs lineup: They are the only team in the East currently in a playoff position with a negative goal differential and are being outscored by all but one playoff team: the New Jersey Devils.

Playoff Booster 

Montreal is comfortably in the WC2 spot as we rapidly approach the end of the regular season.

Despite the fact that the Habs have a lot of talent on the roster, including Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, and Patrik Laine, there are teams that are much deeper, much stronger or are getting their top-end talent back.

Washington, the team the Habs are projected to face in the first round, is easily the most dangerous team in the East. The best goal scorer in NHL history is on an absolute tear alongside the rest of the offence, which has led them to score the most goals in the league with 287 this year.

Demidov should be the explosive boost to Montreal’s playoff lineup that it needs. If his development plays out similarly to what Hutson’s did last year, then he should come in with an immediate impact, if not more than that.

There are posts online that have said he could win the Conn Smythe before he could win the Calder, but I think that’s a far stretch. Montreal is the second wild card team in the east. Plus, he is a talented player, but putting him as THAT effective immediately is a far-reach. But it is possible…