Habs Demidov preferred Malkin to Ovechkin

Rookie Ivan Demidov will face the NHL's top goal scorer in Alexander Ovechkin in the first round of the playoffs. It will be the first time the two Russians meet in the NHL. (Graham Hughes; John Munson / The Canadian Press; The Associated Press)

Ivan Demidov is excited to face off against Alex Ovechkin — but more importantly, he wants to win.

The 19-year-old Russian is focused on helping the Montreal Canadiens upset the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Demidov said when asked if facing the Capitals captain — and Russian legend — added significance to the series, beginning Monday in Washington. “But now I just want to help my team win.

“The Habs are a good team, and I just want to help. I want to bring energy.”

So far, he has done just that.

Selected fifth overall at the 2024 draft, Demidov has energized the Canadiens fan base since — and well before — arriving in Montreal from Russia’s KHL a little more than a 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 up to the hype in his NHL debut, dishing a slick assist before scoring a spectacular first NHL goal in the first 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 watch.”

“He’s so skilled and he’s got so much talent. I’m sure he’s gonna get better every game,” added defenceman Kaiden Guhle. “It’s definitely a piece that I’m not gonna complain about.”

Demidov had a quieter night in his second NHL game, but the shifty and poised winger still showed no sign of nervousness in Wednesday’s playoff-clinching win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Martin St. Louis is still figuring out the full extent of how he’ll use Demidov’s top-shelf talent just two games into his NHL career, but the possibilities 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 maybe not at this level. He gets here at the end of the season and he’s able 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 top unit could be in store eventually. The Canadiens have just one power-play goal — a fortunate bounce off Juraj Slafkovsky’s skate — in their last 20 attempts.

“I have a bunch of cards I can use,” he said. “We got Demidov now, it’s a new card. I don’t know exactly how I’m gonna use all these cards, but we have plenty.”

Ovechkin said he’s looking forward to meeting the Russian youngster 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 become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer on April 6.

Demidov said he looked up to Ovechkin during his childhood, but his true idol was Evgeni Malkin.

The legendary Pittsburgh Penguins centre inspired Demidov 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 because of Ovechkin and modelled his game after the Great Eight. But that’s the last thing on his mind heading into the series.

“Doesn’t matter,” Laine said bluntly. “Couldn’t care less.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2025.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press