The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Ivan Demidov, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, to an entry-level contract, the team announced Tuesday.
Demidov recently concluded his season with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he tied for the team lead with five points (three goals, two assists) in six playoff games. SKA was eliminated from postseason contention following a 5–2 loss to Dynamo Minsk on Sunday.
In a statement released by SKA, the club called the contract termination a “joint decision,” while clarifying that Demidov’s KHL rights will remain with the team:
“He will return to Saint Petersburg if he doesn’t gain a foothold in the NHL.”
Demidov had previously indicated during the 2024 NHL Draft that his intention was to join the NHL for the 2025–26 season:
“I have one year more on my contract, and that’s why I’ll stay in Russia. After that, I come over.”
The 19-year-old was considered one of the most skilled prospects in the 2024 draft class but fell to the fifth overall spot due to concerns from some teams about his timeline for joining the NHL. In the 2023–24 KHL regular season, he led SKA with 19 goals and 49 points in 65 games, and set a record for the highest scoring totals by a 19-year-old in KHL history. His strong performance in the playoffs further solidified his status as one of the most promising players outside the NHL.
Following SKA’s early exit from the playoffs, the team had the option to assign Demidov to its affiliates in the lower-tier MHL or VHL leagues but opted instead to terminate his KHL contract.
Though his initial plan was to remain in Russia for another year, Demidov will now be eligible to join the Canadiens for the remainder of the current season and could be available for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Montreal currently holds a 38–30–9 record and is six points ahead of the New York Rangers for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens are scheduled to face the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, followed by a matchup with the Ottawa Senators on Friday.
In December 2024, the Canadiens sent a group of senior personnel—including general manager Kent Hughes, special adviser Vincent Lecavalier, and director of amateur scouting Nick Bobrov—to visit Demidov in St. Petersburg. The trip was notable, believed to be among the first by NHL executives to Russia since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Demidov’s signing marks a significant step in Montreal’s ongoing rebuild, and his transition to North America will be closely watched as the organization looks to integrate one of the top young talents in the sport.
