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No, Ivan Demidov can’t play for the Rocket in the playoffs
Félix Forget
No, Ivan Demidov can’t play for the Rocket in the playoffs
Credit: Getty Images
In the last month, Ivan Demidov made his way to Montreal. The man expected to play only next season finally arrived sooner than expected… and ended up playing regular-season and playoff games with the CH in 2024-25.

For the Tricolore and its fans, this was an unexpected gift.

And with the CH’s season now over, some wondered if Demidov would be able to join the Rocket in the playoff race… and to that question, the answer is no. It’s the same situation as Lane Hutson last year, as Renaud Lavoie points out.

By signing with the CH, Demidov burned the first year of his entry-level contract. In the end, he’ll have done so for just seven short games… and that means he’ll get a pay raise in 2027-28 rather than 2028-29.

For the Tricolore, therefore, the young Russian will save money for a shorter period of time, which could complicate the club’s life in 2027-28 (when the window should be much more open)… but in the end, it will all have been worth it.

Yes, the Habs didn’t optimize Demidov’s small salary. That said, by bringing him on board this year, it gave him a taste of NHL field hockey, and more importantly, playoff field hockey. And what we saw was that, from game to game, the kid seemed more and more at ease.

Sure, he only scored two points in five games against the Capitals… but we saw him try (and succeed) at more and more things as the series progressed.

What we’ve seen in recent weeks is that Demidov has obvious flashes on the ice. And now that he’s had a taste of the most grueling style of play he can experience in the NHL (a series against an extremely physical club), the kid has everything he needs to adjust and prepare to shine on the Bettman circuit.

And while it would have been cool to see him play playoff games in Laval, he’s already played playoff field hockey in the KHL and NHL this season. It’s not the end of the world if he doesn’t play in Laval to finish the year, we agree.


In gusto

– Mark Scheifele will not play in Game #6 against the Blues.

– Well done.

– I love it!

– Very cool, this.

– The NHLPA celebrates David Savard’s career.

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