It’s time for another edition of NHL rumours. We’re just about two weeks into the regular season in North America. However, teams are already thinking about the future. Slotting in prospects and setting them on a path is a neverending task for team executives. There’s a lot of hype surrounding a number of them and some fans are clamouring for them to be on the main roster. One club that has a ton of exciting prospects is the Montreal Canadiens. This edition of NHL rumours deals with one Russian prospect that Habs fans want to see make the jump to North America.

Montreal Canadiens Plan to Check in With Highly-Touted Prospect

Rumour: During the recent Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Canadiens’ brass are planning to check in on prospect Ivan Demidov.

Analysis: Demidov is the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and Montreal fans are excited about his potential. However, Friedman mentioned that a number of Canadiens fans are disappointed with the amount of playing time he’s been getting in the KHL.

The 18-year-old has five goals and five assists for 10 points in 17 games with SKA St. Petersburg in the Russian league. Habs fans are hoping that Demidov can show some progress and get ready for the eventual jump to North America.

It’s unknown who would be in the party to make the trip to Russia. However, Friedman mentioned that team general manager Kent Hughes would likely be in the party.

When’s the Trip Happening?

It was also mentioned by Friedman that it’s not yet known when the trip will occur. However, it’s going to happen in the next few weeks to months according to the insider.

Montreal’s front office wants to get a firsthand look at how Demidov is developing in Russia. They want to get a feel for his game and see how does in practice and game situations.

Demidov seems to be the next big Russian prospect like Matvei Michkov was before he made the trip across the pond to play for the Philadelphia Flyers. Many scouts and experts think Demidov has the tools to be a good player in the NHL. It’s just a matter of putting everything together and getting ready for primetime.

The Habs Prospect Pool

Montreal may be struggling with injuries, but there’s a lot to like about the young players they have in the fold. Youngsters like Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki have graduated from prospects to well-respected young players. The Canadiens also have a number of exciting defensive players waiting to make the jump to the next level.

Demidov seems to be another well-liked forward and the Canadiens have done well to develop these forwards. However, it’s unknown when he’ll be able to make the trek to North America for the next development phase.

It’s logical that Hughes and the rest of the Canadiens’ development team are going to keep a close eye on the prospect to make sure he’s progressing. Montreal fans are hoping he’s ready to hit the ground running when he gets to Canada.