The Montreal Canadiens signed top prospect Ivan Demidov on Tuesday, and his arrival in Canada has generated major buzz.
Demidov signed a three-year entry-level contract this week after terminating his KHL deal ahead of its expiration date set for the end of May.
One of his teammates, fellow European forward Patrik Laine, doesn’t see the need for all the noise.
The Canadiens' veteran forward said during a media briefing on Friday, as translated from TVA Sports, that the team will welcome Demidov and help ease his adjustment, but didn’t hold back when asked what he knew about the 19-year-old and his expectations from his first days in the NHL.
“He’s Russian, and he’s left-handed,” Laine said about his knowledge of Demidov. “That’s pretty much it.”
The Canadiens plan to use Demidov in at least one of their final regular-season games, likely making his debut on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
“Most likely, I’ll have time to play in the regular season for Montreal,” Demidov said. “My goal for the rest of the season is to adapt to this new style of hockey as quickly as possible and show what I’m capable of.”
Demidov is coming off a record-setting 49-point season with SKA, breaking Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov’s U20 scoring record in Russia's KHL.
Laine, who was also once billed as a franchise savior after the Winnipeg Jets drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft, suggested fans shouldn’t expect immediate fireworks.
“I don’t watch the KHL anymore, but he apparently has good skills,” Laine said. “European hockey is boring because of the size of the rinks. It’s slower. I prefer it here, there’s less skating.
“(The NHL) is the best league in the world, and he’s coming in just as the playoffs are about to start. It’s not the easiest transition.”
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