Canadiens sign Ivan Demidov to entry-level deal

Top forward prospect Ivan Demidov is making the jump to the NHL earlier than expected after inking his three-year, entry-level deal with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

Prior to the news of his signing, KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg announced that they had reached an agreement with Demidov to allow the winger to join the Habs for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.

Demidov's KHL pact expires on May 31. Due to his contract situation, it was initially thought he wouldn't be able to play in North America until the start of the 2025-26 campaign. General manager Kent Hughes ruled out the possibility of Demidov joining Montreal this season after taking a trip to Russia to watch him play in December, per TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie.

Hughes said remains unclear when Demidov might debut for the Canadiens because of logistics.

"Still to be determined," the executive told TSN. "Now we got to work on work permits and things of that nature. So, as soon as the permits are there, he'll be here ASAP."

Hughes added, "We don't want to put too much expectations on him. We're talking about a 19-year-old kid traveling across the world to come play. Hopefully, he gets a game in or two before playoffs, if we're able to make them."

SKA Saint Petersburg said Demidov will return to the team if he can't find his footing in the NHL. The club's season ended Sunday following its loss to Dynamo Moscow in the opening round of the Gagarin Cup playoffs.

Lauded for his hands and top-end skill, Demidov led SKA Saint Petersburg with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games this campaign while averaging just 13:45 of ice time per contest. He surpassed Kirill Kaprizov's 42 points in the 2016-17 season to establish a new KHL record for the most points by an under-20 player.

Demidov went on to add three goals and two helpers in six playoff games.

The 19-year-old dominated Russia's junior league last season, potting 60 points in 30 appearances.

Demidov is joining a Canadiens squad in the throes of the playoff race. They hold a six-point lead for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 38-30-9 record and are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2021.

Five games remain on the Habs' regular-season schedule, beginning Tuesday with a tilt against the Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m. ET.