Ivan Demidov’s Injury: Kent Hughes Loses Bargaining Power in the Market

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Ivan Demidov’s Injury: Kent Hughes Loses Bargaining Power in the Market
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Ivan Demidov will be out for two to four weeks. Let's hope it doesn't take any longer than that.

As a result, this means that the Canadiens will have Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach in their top six for their season opener.

These are two players who would ideally play on a third line. Dach is in to replace Demidov, and Newhook is in to replace Oliver Kapanen, who is injured… and who isn't 100% established as a top-six player to begin with.

Good thing Chris Kreider is here.

We knew injuries were going to come and change the Canadiens' season at some point, obviously. But we didn't necessarily expect that after just two games, Demidov, Kapanen, and Kaiden Guhle would all be out of the lineup.

That's exactly why, this summer, it was fair to wonder why Kent Hughes—who's willing to overpay to bring the right player to town—didn't make any major moves.

That inaction—which dates back to the summer of 2025 in the case of a young top-6 player—is really hurting right now.

We can all agree that if Hughes were to call a GM at noon today to explore the possibility of a trade, he wouldn't have the same bargaining power as he did at the start of the season.

Why? Because he waited too long.

Maybe Ivan Demidov will return to action soon and everything will be back on track. Maybe the Russian's absence won't have too much of an impact on the standings.

But other general managers will see that the Habs aren't the same team without #93. So they'll negotiate accordingly with the Canadiens when the time comes.

Remember that before Demidov got injured, the Canadiens were rumored to be looking for reinforcements. That likely hasn't changed.

Could a defenseman be traded away now more than ever to bring in offensive reinforcements? And more importantly, how much more than Adam Engstrom and a mid-round draft pick will it take to get what the Canadiens need?

Being in a position of strength in the trade market isn't just about having the right players on your roster. It's also about timing.

And sometimes, timing is a b*tch. Especially when you let it work against you.


In a Nutshell

– News from CF Montréal.

– Miracle!

– Worth noting.

– Will he play tonight?

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