Bob Hartley gives major praises for Ivan Demidov and his future with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens fans have every reason to be excited about Ivan Demidov and he has been on a hell of a sequence in the KHL this season.
The Canadiens' first-round pick from the most recent NHL Draft has been showing his elite talent and even earned the Rookie of the Month honors for December in the KHL.
He has scored 31 points in 40 games and this is despite limited ice time under SKA St. Petersburg coach Roman Rotenberg.
Looking ahead, the fans are widely anticipating that Demidov will attend Montreal's training camp in the fall and make his NHL debut during the 2025-2026 season.
Some experts have already make comparisons by claiming Demidov is the best offensive prospect the Canadiens have had since Guy Lafleur.
Former NHL coach Bob Hartley went a step further during a segment on BPM Sports and has declared Ivan Demidov as Montreal's next franchise player:
He's the steal of the draft, and on top of that, he's a good kid. He's a kid who wants to play hockey, loves showing up at the rink, listens, and is coachable.
I've seen young players grow and develop in the KHL, and Demidov is a step above the rest"
- Bob Hartley
Bob Hartley has put emphasis on Demidov's skills and his attitude also set him apart of the other prospects and he was crediting Kent Hughes for securing such a talent.
Bob Hartley even noted that Montreal fans should be grateful to teams like Chicago, Anaheim, and Columbus for passing on him at the NHL Draft.
If Demidov continues on this trajectory, he could make an immediate impact with the Montreal Canadiens next year.
