Ivan Demidov fever hit Toronto Pearson Airport Thursday night, but his teammates have a chance to make a big impact before joining the Russian sensation in the Queen City.
A regulation victory for the Canadiens on Friday night against the Senators in Ottawa would allow the Montreal team to book their playoff spot.
It would be the first time since 2021 that the Habs have participated in the postseason -- and the first time since 2017 in a “normal” context.
The Canadiens qualified in 2019-20 when the NHL decided to increase the number of teams participating in the playoffs from 16 to 24 since the regular season schedule was incomplete due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following season, the Habs made the playoffs and made the Stanley Cup finals, after a shortened 56-game campaign in which all games were played within reorganized divisions.
“It’s really exciting, and it’s even better because it’s in our hands,” said forward Juraj Slafkovsky at noon on Friday.
The sooner the Canadiens confirm their playoff spot, the more flexibility head coach Martin St-Louis will have to manage his troops’ recovery before the playoffs begin.
While St-Louis prefers not to look too far ahead and simply stated that they are focusing on the first faceoff Friday night, veteran Brendan Gallagher, for his part, is more interested in seeing the Canadiens maintain their good habits.
“We want to win every game, no matter where we are,” said Gallagher. “Of course, if we win tonight, we’ll move closer to Ottawa in the standings. We want to continue to push ourselves. If we qualify, we want to play our best hockey. We don’t want to waste any days. We have an opportunity to build on something.”
What will follow for the Canadiens is a visit to Toronto and a first meeting with Demidov.
Eyes on the prize!
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 11, 2025
Read ↓ #GoHabsGohttps://t.co/sUIa5tonH3
The 19-year-old Russian arrived in Canada Thursday evening. He was greeted like a rock star by a handful of Canadiens fans and escorted by security, including Canadiens assistant general manager John Sedgwick.
After being selected fifth overall in the last draft by the Canadiens, Demidov broke a KHL record for points by a player under the age of 20. Several of his goals made headlines and amazed fans on social media.
St. Louis has remained mum on its plans to add Demidov to its roster.
“It’s special to see the fans’ enthusiasm for him,‘’ said Gallagher. “He’s a talented player, but I don’t know much about him because I haven’t met him yet. We’re looking forward to having him join the group and we’ll have to make sure he feels comfortable quickly.”
Gallagher also asked fans to be patient with Demidov.
“He was drafted this high because of his talent, but nothing is guaranteed,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to click in the first or second game. We just have to make sure he’s comfortable, put him in a position where he can be successful. I’ve never seen him play, but with players of this caliber, the talent is obvious.”
Samuel Montembeault will guard the Canadiens’ goal against the Senators, while St. Louis will not make any changes to its lineup.
Forward Emil Heineman will miss his third straight game due to an undisclosed injury.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 11, 2025.
