Season 26-27: My Expectations for Demidov, Kapanen, and Newhook

Marc-Olivier Cook
Season 26-27: My Expectations for Demidov, Kapanen, and Newhook
Credit: Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images

Last week, I published an article in which I discussed my expectations for Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky heading into the upcoming season.

This week, we're going to talk about Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Alex Newhook.

There's a good chance these guys will start the season on the team's second line, and they'll need to help the Habs in their own way. Because if they don't… the Canadiens' offensive output will suffer.

Of course, we know Demidov has all the talent in the world.

He finished his first season in the National Hockey League with 62 points, which is more than respectable. And we can expect him to take his game to the next level because he's worked hard this summer to improve.

If Demi can rack up 70 points or more, I won't be disappointed.

But beyond his production, there's one thing I'm particularly hoping for: I want to see Ivan Demidov start to dominate games.

I want to see him take control of certain games, and I want him to be the Habs' most important player in those games. That's how we'll see him improve…

Oliver Kapanen may have benefited from Ivan Demidov's talent last season, but he still scored 22 goals.

That's no small feat for a rookie in the NHL.

That said, the Finnish player's offensive ceiling doesn't seem to be particularly high, but we know he can make an impact on offense. If he can continue to position himself well, follow Ivan Demidov, and create space on the ice for the Russian, Kapanen will perform well in his role.

And knowing that he scored 22 goals in his rookie season, I expect him to be able to do the same next season (even though that's far from a sure thing, let's be clear).

20 goals and 20 assists for Kapanen (or something like that)—that would be pretty cool…

Perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle is Alex Newhook.

Because you never really know what he's capable of on the ice. We know he has the skills to be creative with the puck and that he's a strong skater… but we also know he doesn't have the best finishing touch out there.

Newhook was on pace for 30 goals over an 82-game season during the recent playoffs. I'm not saying he'll maintain that pace right from the start of next season, but it would be great to see him break out and have the best year of his career.

If Newhook plays all 84 games, spends the season on the second line, and performs as he did in the recent playoffs, he could rack up around 50 points. That would be a great milestone for him.

We know pretty much what to expect when we think of Slaf, Suzuki, and Caufield. They've proven themselves, and we know what they can bring to the table—which isn't necessarily the case with every player on the roster right now.

But the Habs could become even more dangerous if guys like Newhook, Demidov, and Kapanen are able to step up a bit more.


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