"I'm trying to get him off the ice": Habs GM Kent Hughes comments on Ivan Demidov's "unparalleled" growth and work ethic

As the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft, there was a lot of pressure on Ivan Demidov to do well for the Montreal Canadiens. He has been hailed as one for the future, with all scouting reports pointing towards a star in the making.

Demidov started with the SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League last season. He scored 49 points from 65 games, including 19 goals, which indicated that he might need more time to develop into the fast-paced nature of the NHL, with smaller rinks and more physicality involved.

But the Habs decided to fast-forward the 19-year-old's entry to North America, with Demidov getting to play 2 regular-season games. He also featured in the NHL playoffs series against the Washington Capitals. He is expected to get more responsibility with a top-six role alongside stars like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

As per Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes, via NHL.com, Demidov has been putting in a lot of hard work to overcome the major challenges.

"He had those ups and downs [last season], but I felt like we started to notice him figure things out throughout that five games in the playoffs in terms of how much time he had or he didn't have.

"And then we've seen him through the summer. His work ethic is unparalleled. ... He's been in Montreal, skating, working out and skating again, twice a day, five days a week. I'm trying to get him off the ice."

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Habs GM Kent Hughes on Ivan Demidov: “We’ve seen him through the summer. His work ethic is unparalleled…He's been in Montreal, skating, working out and skating again, twice a day, five days a week. I'm trying to get him off the ice." 👇👇👇

Ivan Demidov playing on a young Habs team will help his expectations

The Canadiens have a brilliant mixture of young talent and experienced players. The fan base got a taste of success after Martin St. Louis led the team to the playoffs. As per Hughes, because the team is packed with up-and-coming talent, it will be easier for Demidov to manage his own expectations.

"In Ivan's case, what's going to benefit him is there's a whole slew of other players on our team that our fan base has all kinds of expectations for," Hughes said. "'Suzy,' they want him to be the first player in however long to get 100 points. ... They want Cole Caufield to get 40 goals. They want Lane Hutson to do something. They want 'Slaf' to take that next step.

"So I feel like in that regard, they have expectations for a whole set of really young hockey players that are in our market. I feel like it's a little bit different than other players that may arrive in a market where they're now going to be the savior."

The Canadiens start their regular season on October 8, on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are expected to go deeper than their first-round exit this season.